Spain rolls out unprecedented operation to disembark evacuees of hantavirus-stricken cruise ship

"On board the cruise ship were the 152 people who had endured an outbreak of the Andes variant of the hantavirus, the only known strain that can spread from human to human. Waiting on land were political authorities and more than 300 accredited journalists from 60 media outlets to report on an evacuation operation involving 23 countries. It also took place after days of internal political tension between Spain's central government and regional authorities in the Canary Islands, who refused to let the ship dock in Tenerife citing public health concerns, but whose veto was overturned by an emergency measure that invoked the Ports Law."

"Until Sunday afternoon, all passengers had been declared asymptomatic following a screening. But after disembarking, French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced that one of the five repatriated French citizens developed symptoms during the flight back to Paris. In a message on his X account, the prime minister stated that all five French passengers have been placed in isolation until further notice. In Spain, a woman who developed symptoms after sharing a flight in Johannesburg with one of the people who died from hantavirus remains in isolation at a hospital in Alicante."

"Another asymptomatic woman who also boarded the same flight is in isolation at the Hospital Clinic in Barcelona. More than 90 people disembarked the ship in on Sunday. The operation is set to conclude on Monday with the departure and repatriation of the remaining passengers, who are bound"

The MV Hondius arrived at Granadilla de Abona in Tenerife at 6:00 a.m. after a 40-day voyage, carrying 152 people exposed to the Andes variant of hantavirus, the only known strain capable of human-to-human spread. Authorities and more than 300 journalists from 60 media outlets awaited an evacuation operation involving 23 countries. The ship’s docking followed political tension between Spain’s central government and Canary Islands regional authorities, whose refusal was overturned by an emergency measure invoking the Ports Law. Health Minister Monica Garcia framed the event as national and regional pride, citing World Health Organization recognition. Passengers were declared asymptomatic after screening, but after disembarkation a French prime minister reported symptoms in one French passenger during the flight to Paris, leading to isolation of all five. Additional suspected cases were placed in isolation in Alicante and Barcelona, with PCR testing negative for one.

Read at english.elpais.com