Nearly a month after the first passenger died from hantavirus on the MV Hondius, the expedition cruise liner operated by Oceanwide Expeditions is approaching Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands.
The outbreak originated from rodent exposure at Argentina’s remote Punta Loyola landfill site during an Antarctic voyage, with three fatalities confirmed so far from the rare Andes strain that causes severe respiratory distress.
Authorities in Granadilla port have mobilised extensive measures to disembark more than 100 passengers and crew for repatriation while keeping the vessel anchored offshore within a one-nautical-mile security perimeter. Medical teams in full protective gear will board around 07:00 local time on Sunday to screen everyone, as no new symptoms have emerged recently.
Spain’s Health Minister Mónica García described the operation involving 23 countries as unprecedented, stressing rigorous protocols to prevent spread.
“The risk of contagion for the general population is low,” she said on Saturday. “We believe that alarmism, misinformation, and confusion are contrary to the basic principles of preserving public health.”
Charter flights from the UK, U.S. and EU states wait at Tenerife South Airport, including medically equipped aircraft for any isolations. Spanish nationals face quarantine at Madrid’s Gomez Ulla military hospital, potentially lasting up to nine weeks given the virus’s incubation period.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, overseeing proceedings on the island, praised the response and urged calm. “Your concern is legitimate, because of the experience of Covid: that trauma is still in our minds,” he acknowledged, adding that risks remain low due to the virus’s traits and Spanish preparations.
Candelaria University Hospital stands ready with ICU specialists and a high-containment unit stocked for infectious cases. “We are absolutely ready,” said chief intensivist Mar Martin. “We’ve never seen [hantavirus] before—but it’s a virus, with some complications, just like we manage every day. We are fully trained for that.”
Initial protests from port workers over safety concerns have eased with clearer updates, though tourism-dependent locals remain wary. About 30 crew will sail the ship back to the Netherlands, ending weeks of uncertainty for most.