Hantavirus Outbreak: Cruise Ship Evacuates Passengers in Tenerife

The MV Hondius cruise ship arrived in Granadilla, Tenerife, early Sunday morning as part of an evacuation effort due to a hantavirus outbreak linked to three deaths. The ship, which departed Argentina last month, has 147 passengers on board.

A medical team, coordinated by Spain's Health Minister Mónica García, boarded the vessel to assess the situation and conduct tests on passengers and crew. The evacuation will follow strict safety protocols, with passengers transported to shore in small boats.

Seventeen American passengers will be monitored at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, while 14 Dutch citizens will disembark first, wearing protective masks and under medical supervision. The outbreak has raised concerns among local leaders and port workers in the Canary Islands, although health authorities, including the World Health Organization, maintain that the outbreak poses a low risk to the general public.

The ship is expected to continue to Rotterdam after the crew undergoes full disinfection procedures.