The initial group of Spanish passengers evacuated from the Hantavirus-affected cruise ship MV Hondius left the Canary Islands for Madrid. They were transported by buses from the Port of Granadilla to Tenerife South Airport under the supervision of Spain’s Military Emergencies Unit and Civil Guard. Health authorities, emergency services, and police from the Canary Islands also participated in the evacuation operation.
The evacuees, comprising 14 Spanish individuals, including 13 passengers and one crew member, were the first to disembark from the ship. They will undergo isolation procedures at the Gomez Ulla Central Defence Hospital after arriving at the Torrejon de Ardoz air base near Madrid. Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia assured that all necessary safety measures were being implemented during the operation.
The remaining passengers on the cruise ship are reportedly asymptomatic. A final repatriation flight is scheduled for Australian citizens, while the Netherlands plans to send a flight to collect passengers not repatriated by their countries. World Health Organisation Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus addressed concerns in an open letter to residents of Tenerife, emphasizing that the hantavirus situation was not comparable to COVID-19.
