Canary Islands Refuses Entry for Ship Carrying Hantavirus

Three people have died from hantavirus so far, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The agency has confirmed that the disease can be transmitted between humans. On Wednesday, emergency crews evacuated three individuals from a cruise ship, MV Hondius, which is currently anchored off the coast of Cape Verde.

The evacuees were two crew members and one person who had been in contact with one of the confirmed cases. They boarded flights at the airport in Praia, the capital city of Cape Verde, and later disembarked on planes bound for Spain’s Canary Islands and Amsterdam.

One plane carrying two evacuees landed unexpectedly in the Canary Islands due to a technical fault, requiring a new plane to continue their journey. The Spanish health ministry reported that one of the patients experienced an electrical support system failure while refueling in Gran Canaria.

The MV Hondius, which has approximately 150 people on board from 23 countries, was initially set to leave for Spain on Wednesday after the evacuation. However, the Canary Islands have refused to allow the ship to dock at any of its ports due to concerns about public safety.

Spain’s interior ministry announced that the evacuation of passengers will begin in the archipelago on May 11. The Spanish government has stated that those still on board are not presenting symptoms of the disease. Once in Tenerife, non-Spanish citizens will be repatriated to their countries.

The hantavirus outbreak is believed to have started when three passengers – a Dutch couple and a German national – died from the disease. The rare disease is typically spread through contact with infected rodents, usually via urine, droppings, or saliva.

Source: Al Jazeera