Three people were evacuated from a cruise ship affected by a hantavirus after Spain agreed to accept the vessel.
A British crew member is among three individuals evacuated as a hantavirus outbreak compels the cruise ship to head towards Spain.
A cruise ship impacted by a hantavirus outbreak is heading towards Spain after three individuals, including a British crew member, were medically evacuated for treatment.
The MV Hondius, flying the Dutch flag, was anchored near Cape Verde as preparations were underway to evacuate infected passengers and crew members.
Included in the evacuation was Martin Anstee, a 56-year-old British expedition guide who was aboard the vessel.
“I’m doing well.” “I’m not feeling too bad,” he remarked to the reporters. “Numerous tests remain to be conducted.”
A physician from the Netherlands who was aboard the vessel, along with a passenger from Germany, was also evacuated. The World Health Organization reports that the three individuals are being transferred for treatment in the Netherlands.
Health officials reported that eight cases have been identified to date, with five of those confirmed. Three individuals linked to the outbreak have passed away, including a couple from the Netherlands and a citizen of Germany.
Spanish authorities have granted permission for the vessel to dock in the Canary Islands, enabling the ship’s journey to proceed with nearly 150 people still onboard.
The outbreak has raised alarms among regional officials in Tenerife, yet health authorities maintain that the overall public health risk is still considered low.
Hantavirus is typically transmitted through interaction with infected rodents or their droppings, saliva, or urine. Transmission from one human to another is regarded as uncommon.
Officials are actively pursuing contact tracing efforts across several countries following the disembarkation of passengers from the ship during its journey from Argentina through Antarctica and various remote Atlantic islands.
Oceanwide Expeditions, the ship’s operator, announced that screening and quarantine procedures will be implemented upon the vessel’s arrival in Spain.
