An outbreak of the deadly hantavirus in the Andes has crippled the cruise ship MV Hondius, leading to international evacuations and a diplomatic standoff in Spain.
Three passengers have died since their departure a month ago; while one case was confirmed, the other two are still under investigation.
Two passengers arrived in the Netherlands in serious condition for treatment. A third passenger, a 56-year-old British man, is in a stable condition awaiting evacuation. The fatalities include a Dutch woman who died in South Africa and a German woman whose body remains on the ship.
The WHO has identified eight cases, including three confirmed and five suspected cases. South African authorities confirmed the Andean species, which is native to Latin America; Crucially, experts note that this particular strain can spread through human-to-human contact. In the United States, three passengers are being monitored in Georgia and Arizona.
On the other hand, a man tested positive in Zurich after disembarking. Two people are in self-isolation after possible exposure. Health experts emphasize that transmission requires close physical contact, unlike the airborne nature of COVID-19 or flu.
The MV Hondius is currently sailing towards the Spanish Canary Islands, after three days at anchor near Cape Verde. A total of 146 people from 23 countries remain on the ship under strict precautions.
Regional president Fernando Clavijo has opposed the ship’s arrival in Tenerife, demanding an urgent meeting with the Spanish prime minister and citing a lack of technical information.
Health Minister Monica Garcia stated that all passengers will undergo a medical assessment upon arrival. Foreigners will be repatriated, while Spanish citizens will be quarantined in a military hospital in Madrid.
Meanwhile, KLM Airlines issued an advisory after a Dutch victim briefly boarded a flight from Johannesburg to Amsterdam before her condition was noticed.
As reported by the BBCWHO and several national health agencies are actively conducting contact tracing of flights and previous disembarkation points to contain the spread.
