Passengers aboard the hantavirus-stricken MV Hondius began disembarking Sunday in Spain’s Canary Islands as governments around the world launched quarantine and repatriation operations following the deadly outbreak.
Health officials said the outbreak linked to the cruise ship has resulted in at least three deaths and multiple confirmed or suspected infections involving the Andes strain of hantavirus.
The ship arrived near Tenerife early Sunday morning, where passengers wearing protective gear were transported ashore in small groups for medical screening and evacuation flights to their home countries.
Spanish authorities established temporary medical facilities near the port while international health agencies coordinated transportation, testing and quarantine procedures involving passengers from more than a dozen countries.
The World Health Organization has recommended a 42-day monitoring period for all passengers because the incubation period for hantavirus can extend several weeks after exposure.
US officials said 17 Americans aboard the vessel are being evacuated on a government-chartered medical flight and will be transported to the National Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
Acting CDC Director Jay Bhattacharya said the outbreak should not be compared to the COVID-19 pandemic and stressed that public panic is not warranted.
Health officials said all remaining passengers aboard the ship were asymptomatic during the disembarkation process, though authorities continue monitoring for delayed symptoms because hantavirus can take weeks to develop.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced Sunday that one French passenger developed symptoms during a repatriation flight after leaving the ship.
French authorities said the passenger and four additional French nationals were immediately placed into strict isolation while undergoing testing and medical evaluation following their arrival.
The outbreak is believed to involve the Andes virus strain of hantavirus, a rare subtype capable of limited person-to-person transmission through prolonged close contact.
British authorities also launched emergency operations connected to the outbreak after a British passenger linked to the cruise ship became ill on the remote Atlantic island of Tristan da Cunha, per USA TODAY.
The British military parachuted medics and medical supplies onto the island because it lacks an airport and has limited medical infrastructure to treat severe infectious disease cases.
Officials said the MV Hondius will eventually sail to the Netherlands for full disinfection after evacuation procedures conclude and most passengers leave the vessel.
The World Health Organization and national governments continue monitoring exposed passengers across multiple countries while emphasizing that the broader public health risk remains low.
