Passengers have begun evacuating from a cruise ship hit by a hantavirus outbreak, as Britons on board prepare to be flown home to isolate at the UK's initial Covid quarantine site.
Ship Arrival and Evacuation Process
The MV Hondius arrived in Tenerife on Sunday morning, with Spain beginning evacuations of the ship by nationality. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed that 22 British passengers and crew will be transferred to an isolation facility at Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral, Merseyside, after being repatriated to the UK on a chartered flight. The agency added that the risk to the public remains very low.
Spanish authorities reported that no passengers on the ship were showing symptoms of the virus. The first group to be evacuated consisted of 14 Spanish nationals. Officials from the UKHSA and Foreign Office were present when the MV Hondius docked in Tenerife, one of Spain's Canary Islands. Britons on board were tested for hantavirus before disembarkation.
Testing and Repatriation
If individuals test negative and exhibit no symptoms, they will be taken directly to a chartered repatriation flight staffed by medical professionals and equipped with personal protective equipment, including face masks. World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed via social media that the disembarkation of the first group of MV Hondius passengers had commenced. WHO experts are collaborating with the Spanish Health Ministry on epidemiological assessments and coordinating charter flights with the Interior Ministry.
Isolation at Arrowe Park Hospital
Upon arrival in the UK, passengers will be housed in an accommodation block on the Arrowe Park site, separate from the hospital's public areas, to receive clinical assessments and testing as a precaution. The hospital previously served as the UK's initial Covid quarantine site, with blue tarpaulin fences around accommodation blocks erected on Sunday morning. Emergency services in the North West of England indicated that passengers would remain in this managed setting for up to 72 hours. They stressed that the NHS Trust and hospital are operating normally, with no risk to patients, visitors, or staff, and that people should continue to seek care as usual.
Post-Isolation Plans
Following isolation, public health specialists will evaluate whether passengers can self-isolate at home or at another suitable location based on their living arrangements. Britons returning to the UK will be required to self-isolate for 45 days and will not be permitted to use public transport to reach their homes.
Remaining Crew and Ship Disinfection
Some crew members, along with the body of a passenger who died on board, will remain on the ship. The MV Hondius will then sail to Rotterdam in the Netherlands for disinfection, according to Spanish authorities.
Confirmed Cases and Response
WHO reported on Saturday that there have been six confirmed hantavirus cases linked to the MV Hondius, with four patients currently hospitalised. A total of eight cases, including three deaths, have been reported, with one previous suspected case reclassified after testing negative. The UKHSA stated that three British nationals are among the eight cases: two confirmed and one suspected. The two confirmed British cases are in hospitals in South Africa and the Netherlands, while the third British national with a suspected case is being supported on the British overseas territory of Tristan da Cunha, where they reside.
In a unique response, six paratroopers, an RAF consultant, and an Army nurse from 16 Air Assault Brigade were parachuted onto the South Atlantic island. Oxygen supplies and medical aid were also airdropped on Tristan da Cunha, which is typically only accessible by boat. The RAF A400M transport aircraft flew from RAF Brize Norton to Ascension Island, supported by an RAF Voyager, before proceeding to Tristan da Cunha. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) noted that this marked the first time medical personnel had been parachuted in for humanitarian support.
