Cruise liner with hantavirus outbreak arrived in Tenerife: evacuation of passengers
The Dutch-flagged cruise ship MV Hondius arrived at the port of Granadilla on the island of Tenerife on Sunday morning.
An outbreak of hantavirus was previously detected on the ship - preparations for the evacuation of passengers and part of the crew began, reports CBS News, citing the World Health Organization (WHO).
What is known about the situation on board
About 150 people from more than 15 countries are on board, including 17 US citizens. According to WHO:
Huntavirus has been confirmed in eight people.
Three passengers died: a married couple from the Netherlands and a German citizen.
At the time of the ship’s arrival at the port, none of the remaining on board have symptoms of the disease.
Chronology of infection
The first patient, a 70-year-old Dutch citizen, became ill on April 6 and died on board on April 11. His wife came ashore on the island of St. Helena, and on April 26 died in South Africa - tests confirmed infection with hantavirus. A German woman died on a boat on May 2.
Several other passengers were evacuated to the Netherlands, Switzerland and South Africa. At the same time, 32 passengers left the liner even before the outbreak was detected - on the island of St. Helena. Americans who have returned to the U.S. are being monitored by regional health authorities.
How the evacuation will take place
The evacuation of passengers and part of the crew will be carried out in small groups on boats with a capacity of 5-10 people. The operation is coordinated by WHO and other international health agencies. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus personally arrived in Tenerife to monitor the process.
After disembarking passengers on board will remain a minimum crew. He will take the necessary supplies and head to Rotterdam - the transition will take about five days.
On the route of the liner and the risk of spreading the virus
The Hondius route started on April 1 in Ushuaia, Argentina. The ship visited the islands of the South Atlantic, spent several days off the coast of Cape Verde, and then headed for the Canary Islands.
The WHO notes that the risk to the population remains low. According to the organization, the Andes strain is the only hantavirus that can be transmitted from person to person, but close contact is required for infection.
Source: https://iz.ru/, Photo: personalguide
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