Hantavirus-affected cruise ship MV Hondius arrives in Tenerife for coordinated passenger repatriation

The MV Hondius cruise ship, at the center of a hantavirus outbreak that originated during an expedition departing from Argentina, has arrived at the Port of Granadilla in Tenerife, Canary Islands. Three deaths and multiple medical evacuations have been attributed to hantavirus exposure aboard the vessel since departure. A carefully coordinated international repatriation operation is underway, with passengers being disembarked by nationality in small boats. Spanish passengers will isolate in a military hospital with PCR testing, while 17 American passengers with no symptoms will be assessed at the University of Nebraska Medical Center's National Quarantine Unit before transitioning to 42-day home-based monitoring. Multiple nations are deploying aircraft for repatriation. The ship will proceed to Rotterdam for crew disembarkation and full disinfection. Port workers in Tenerife have protested over communication gaps regarding health risks. The WHO reported the outbreak on May 2 and assessed it as low risk to the general public.