Spain has allowed a cruise ship with a dangerous virus outbreak to enter the Canary Islands.

The Spanish government has allowed the MV Hondius cruise ship, which was anchored near Cape Verde in West Africa and has a hantavirus outbreak on board, to proceed to the Canary Islands. Al Jazeera reported this.

 

The Spanish Ministry of Health stated that, based on the recommendation of the World Health Organization, Cape Verde is unable to accept the 147 passengers and crew members. Therefore, the Canary Islands have been chosen as the nearest location with the necessary medical infrastructure.

 

As previously reported, a Dutch couple and a German citizen died as a result of the illness that emerged on board the ship in April. Two other crew members are in serious condition and require urgent medical attention. A British citizen who was evacuated is being treated in an intensive care unit in South Africa.

 

According to the ship's operator, Oceanwide Expeditions, another passenger is experiencing mild symptoms of the disease.

 

The Spanish Ministry of Health announced that once the patients requiring evacuation are taken off the ship, it will proceed to the Canary Islands. The journey will take approximately three days, and the ship is expected to dock at the port of Gran Canaria or Tenerife.

 

Upon arrival in the Canary Islands, all passengers and crew members will undergo medical examinations and receive necessary treatment, after which they will be repatriated to their respective countries. The process will be organized in cooperation with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the WHO.

 

According to the WHO, the ship, which departed from Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1, had 88 passengers from 23 countries and 59 crew members on board. 

 

Experts suggest that the likely source of infection was either the ship's previous voyage or nature observation trips conducted on the islands.

 

WHO representative Maria Van Kerkhove emphasized that there is a rare possibility of virus transmission between individuals in close contact. However, the organization stated that the risk to the general public is low.

 

Hantavirus is typically transmitted through rodents, and its incubation period ranges from 1 to 6 weeks. Experts note that the initial patients may have contracted the virus outside the ship.

 

Officials have stated that all sanitary and safety measures will be strictly followed, patients will be treated in isolated conditions, and direct contact with the local population will be restricted.