140 Passengers from Cruise Ship at Center of Hantavirus Outbreak Begin to Disembark in Spain’s Canary Islands

Passengers from the cruise ship at the center of the Hantavirus outbreak docked in Spain’s Canary Islands early Sunday morning and began to disembark.

140 passengers were screened as Spanish authorities worked with the cruise ship’s team to begin the disembarking process in Tenerife, Canary Islands.

Three passengers aboard this cruise ship died, and several others are seriously ill after a Hantavirus outbreak aboard the vessel.

Hantavirus is transmitted to humans by mice and rats, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

According to South African media, the MV Hondius cruise ship departed from Argentina last month and sailed to Cape Verde.

“Hantavirus infections are typically linked to environmental exposure (exposure to infected rodents’ urine or feces). While rare, hantavirus may spread between people, and can lead to severe respiratory illness and requires careful patient monitoring, support and response,” The WHO said.

“To date, one case of hantavirus infection has been laboratory confirmed, and there are five additional suspected cases,” the WHO told Agence France-Presse (AFP).

“Of the six affected individuals, three have died and one is currently in intensive care in South Africa,” they said.

A 70-year-old male passenger and his 69-year-old wife, both Dutch, died.

Health officials identified the Hantavirus ‘patient zero’ as 70-year-old Dutch birdwatcher who toured a massive rat-infested landfill in Argentina’s ‘City at the End of the World’ days before the virus outbreak aboard the cruise ship.

CNN reported:

Dozens of passengers have now disembarked the cruise ship at the center of the hantavirus outbreak, with all those remaining expected to depart by Monday as part of a carefully managed operation involving multiple nations, officials said.

Passengers were screened Sunday after the ship docked in Tenerife, Canary Islands, and none were showing symptoms, according to Spanish health authorities.

Despite efforts to reassure locals the operation is safe, the ship’s arrival has caused tensions in the Canary Islands, an autonomous community of Spain. The territory’s leader said last week that he opposed the ship docking.