A company managing a luxury cruise, MV Hondius, is arranging for specialized aircraft to evacuate two individuals needing urgent medical attention due to a hantavirus outbreak. The evacuation operation of the sick passengers and a guest linked to a deceased traveler is set to take place using two specialized aircraft en route to Cape Verde, an island nation off West Africa, as per the latest update by Oceanwide Expeditions on Tuesday.
The cruise ship has been stranded near Cape Verde for several days after being denied entry by the country due to the hantavirus outbreak, which has resulted in three fatalities so far.
The cruise operator mentioned in a statement that the patients will be medically evacuated to the Netherlands, but an exact timeline for the transfer is yet to be determined. Once the three individuals are safely evacuated and en route to the Netherlands, the ship will start repositioning.
The current plan is for the Hondius to head towards the Canary Islands, specifically Gran Canaria or Tenerife, requiring approximately three days of sailing.
A suspected hantavirus outbreak on a luxury cruise ship held off the coast of South Africa has left at least three people dead and several others sick. For The National, CBC chief correspondent Adrienne Arsenault asks infectious diseases specialist Dr. Isaac Bogoch to break down how the virus spreads and the risk to humans.
Spain to Receive the Ship
The Spanish Health Ministry confirmed its willingness to accept the Hondius in the Canary Islands in compliance with international law and humanitarian principles.
Upon arrival in the Canary Islands, medical teams will assess and treat all passengers and crew members before transferring them to their respective countries, according to the ministry’s statement.
Due to Cape Verde’s incapability to handle the situation, the health ministry stated that the Canary Islands possess the necessary capabilities and are the closest location for assistance. The ministry highlighted Spain’s moral and legal duty to aid the individuals, including Spanish citizens among them.
The Spanish Health Ministry confirmed that it would receive the hantavirus-hit cruise