The virus-hit cruise ship MV Hondius has now arrived off Tenerife after several weeks at sea marked by a serious hantavirus outbreak on board. 

The ship has been quarantined after several people fell ill and three died in a suspected outbreak of Andes virus, a rare and serious variant of hantavirus that can spread between people. 

The approximately 150 passengers are now to be evacuated under strict supervision. The plan is to transport them in smaller boats to shore for onward travel to their respective home countries. The WHO is monitoring the operation and the organisation's Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, is reported to be on site in Tenerife. 

The landing has faced criticism from local authorities in the Canary Islands. Regional president Fernando Clavijo has expressed concern for safety and believes that the local population has not received sufficient guarantees regarding the risk of infection. Despite this, the Spanish government has given the green light for the operation. 

WHO simultaneously assesses the risk of general spread as low and emphasises that the situation clearly differs from previous pandemics like covid-19. All those on board are, however, classified as high-risk contacts and will be medically monitored for several weeks after evacuation.

Source: Expressen.se