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Hondius Heads to Canary Islands as Hantavirus Outbreak Confirmed as Andes

Health agencies will run a tightly controlled disembarkation to contain risk.

Overview

  • The ship is sailing from Cape Verde to Tenerife for a managed disembarkation under WHO and ECDC protocols after the operator said all symptomatic people were evacuated.
  • Genetic testing tied the cases to the Andes strain of hantavirus, and WHO said it suspects a person‑to‑person spread on board but still judges the public risk to be low.
  • A former passenger is hospitalized in Zurich with a confirmed infection, while UK officials said two ex‑passengers are self‑isolating without symptoms and Dutch authorities tested a KLM flight attendant who had contact with a sick traveler.
  • Spain designated Granadilla in Tenerife as the entry port and will screen travelers and fly them home, with 14 Spanish passengers set for supervised quarantine at a Madrid defense hospital if needed under public‑health law.
  • Canary Islands leaders and port workers demanded clearer procedures and some threatened to block the port, highlighting tensions as contact tracing widens and a 1–8 week incubation window complicates detection.