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Cruise ship MV Hondius docks in Tenerife for hantavirus evacuation

The luxury cruise ship MV Hondius arrived at the port of Granadilla in Tenerife on Sunday to undergo an evacuation process following a hantavirus outbreak. The ship, which departed Cape Verde on Wednesday, carries 149 people from 23 countries. Health officials confirmed that eight cases have been linked to the vessel, including three deaths, with six confirmed laboratory cases and two suspected. Passengers are considered high-risk contacts, though the risk to the general public is currently assessed as low. Spanish authorities, supported by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, are managing the operation using small boats and sealed-off buses to transfer passengers to the local airport for repatriation. Spanish nationals will be the first to disembark, followed by other nationalities, while 30 crew members will remain on board to sail the ship to the Netherlands for disinfection. Experts have inspected the vessel and found no evidence of rodents, deeming the environmental conditions appropriate. Asymptomatic passengers will be tested upon arrival, while those showing symptoms will be prioritized for medical assessment.

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