One of the 14 Spanish evacuees from the hantavirus-hit cruise ship MV Hondius has tested preliminarily positive for the virus, as confirmed by Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia. The individual, currently isolated at Madrid’s Gomez Ulla hospital, remains asymptomatic and in good health, under close observation following established protocols.
The remaining 13 Spanish evacuees tested negative initially, with final results awaited in the near future, according to the Health Minister. The outbreak, believed to involve the Andes strain of hantavirus, is known for potential person-to-person transmission through close contact, as indicated by health authorities and the World Health Organization.
Following the ship’s arrival in Spain’s Canary Islands, the Spanish evacuees were transported to Madrid in response to the outbreak. Multiple cases, both confirmed and suspected, have been associated with the incident, leading to passengers being transferred to various countries for necessary treatment and monitoring.
The European Commission is actively coordinating and supporting national responses to the hantavirus outbreak, with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control assessing the risk to Europe’s general population as very low. The EU’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre has been instrumental in facilitating the safe evacuation of individuals from the MV Hondius cruise ship since Spain activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism on May 6.
