Passengers from the hantavirus-affected cruise ship MV Hondius began evacuating Sunday after the vessel anchored off Tenerife in Spain's Canary Islands. The first flight, carrying 14 Spanish nationals, landed in Madrid and the passengers were transferred to a military hospital for quarantine. A French evacuation plane arrived in Paris shortly afterward, transporting its passengers to hospitals, while a plane with Canadian nationals departed Tenerife later in the day. Additional flights were scheduled to evacuate Germans, Belgians, Greeks, Americans, and others, with an Australian plane expected Monday to repatriate nationals from Australia, New Zealand, and unspecified Asian countries. According to FlightRadar 24, the American evacuation flight was expected around 5:30 p.m. local time (1630 GMT). Over 140 people remain on board, representing more than 20 nationalities, with evacuations continuing into Monday. None have shown symptoms of hantavirus, officials from Spain's health ministry, the World Health Organization (WHO), and Oceanwide Expeditions confirmed. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated the public risk is low and emphasized, "This is not another COVID." Protective gear, including hazmat suits and respirators, was worn during disembarkation, and passengers were sprayed with disinfectant on the tarmac. Diana Rojas Alvarez, WHO Health Operations Lead, said passengers appeared relieved to be returning home. All evacuees will be quarantined in their respective countries, with only the Spanish nationals quarantining in Spain. Passengers left behind their luggage, permitted to carry only essential items, a cellphone, charger, and documentation. The body of a passenger who died on board remains on the ship, along with some crew members, as the MV Hondius will sail to Rotterdam, Netherlands. Three deaths have been linked to the outbreak, and five passengers who previously disembarked are confirmed infected. The strain involved, the Andes virus, may spread between humans in rare cases, though hantavirus typically spreads through rodent droppings. A Spanish woman in Alicante suspected of infection tested negative.
The evacuation of asymptomatic passengers under military-level biocontainment contradicts the official line that the public risk is low. If the virus poses minimal threat, the scale of protective measures and international flight coordination suggests an overreach driven by pandemic-era anxiety. The presence of the WHO director-general and Spanish ministers on site amplifies perception of severity despite repeated reassurances. This disconnect risks undermining public trust in future health alerts.
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