All passengers on cruise ship with deadly hantavirus outbreak identified as contacts
All passengers on cruise ship hit by deadly hantavirus outbreak are believed to have been exposed to infected people. This was reported by Reuters.
The European Public Health Agency explained that the decision was made as a precautionary measure before the ship’s expected anchorage off the Spanish island of Tenerife on Sunday. Passengers who do not have symptoms are being repatriated for self-isolation by specially organized transport, rather than by regular commercial flights to their countries.
On May 8, the World Health Organization reported that 8 people had fallen ill, including three deaths. The couple is from the Netherlands and a German citizen. The WHO also noted that six of the eight people were confirmed to be infected with hantavirus, while two others were not.
All passengers will be considered high-risk upon disembarkation. However, upon returning to their countries, not all of them will necessarily have the same status.
Earlier, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry stated that 5 Ukrainian citizens were on board the MV Hondius cruise ship, where an outbreak of hantavirus was recorded. They showed no signs of the disease.
It was also reported that 14 Spaniards who traveled on the ship and could have come into contact with hantavirus were ordered to undergo compulsory isolation. This decision was made by a court in Madrid at the request of the government.
In addition, protests took place in the Canary Islands because the ship was heading to the archipelago.
