Three individuals from the stranded cruise ship near Cape Verde, affected by a virus outbreak, have been successfully evacuated for medical treatment. The fatal Hantavirus, transmitted by rats, has claimed the lives of three passengers, suspected to have been introduced by a couple from Argentina.
A total of eight cases have been linked to the MV Hondius, including two British nationals. One Brit is receiving intensive care in South Africa, while the other is a crew member, identified as the ship’s doctor, who fell ill while assisting passengers. He was among the three individuals airlifted off the ship for evacuation to the Netherlands.
Swiss authorities confirmed a Hantavirus case in a passenger who had disembarked the cruise ship and sought medical attention in Zurich after receiving an alert from the ship.
The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Ghebreyesus, mentioned that the evacuated individuals are en route to the Netherlands for treatment, emphasizing that the overall public health risk remains low at this stage.
Oceanwide Expeditions, the cruise operator, disclosed that two infectious disease physicians from the Netherlands will remain on the ship as it departs Cape Verde. They will stay with the remaining passengers until the three evacuees are safely transferred onto planes from the ship.
The cruise operator assured ongoing medical response aboard the MV Hondius and mentioned plans for the ship to depart for a three-day voyage to the Canary Islands, pending discussions with authorities regarding arrival logistics, quarantine, and screening procedures for all passengers.
There is uncertainty regarding the acceptance of the ship in the Canary Islands, where several suspected Hantavirus cases have emerged. Regional leader Fernando Clavijo’s opposition to allowing the ship entry has sparked discussions with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to address the situation.
Initially intended for Cape Verde, the ship was denied entry on Monday, when 148 passengers and crew, including 23 Brits, were scheduled to disembark.
The Spanish health ministry revealed that the WHO and the European Union had urged Spain to accommodate the MV Hondius based on international law and humanitarian principles. Plans are in place to examine, treat, and repatriate crew and passengers at a port in either Gran Canaria or Tenerife, in collaboration with health authorities and international organizations.