When will passengers leave hantavirus cruise ship? WHO details its plan

Passengers aboard the MV Hondius, an expedition ship affected by a hantavirus outbreak, will start disembarking in Tenerife’s Granadilla port at 8 a.m. local time on May 10, following a scheduled arrival at 5:30 a.m. The World Health Organization (WHO) and national authorities are leading repatriation efforts, with passengers transported in small groups via Zodiac or launch boats to waiting aircraft. No symptomatic cases remain on board, and WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus assured Tenerife residents the risk to locals is low, emphasizing sealed, guarded vehicles and cordoned-off routes. The WHO and governments have coordinated flights for passengers from over 20 countries. U.S. citizens will be flown to Nebraska’s National Quarantine Center at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, where they will undergo a 42-day observation period. Any passenger developing symptoms during evacuation will be immediately transferred to a medical plane for treatment in the Netherlands, according to WHO’s acting director of epidemic and pandemic management, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove. The outbreak has been linked to at least three deaths—two Dutch nationals and one German—and eight confirmed or suspected cases, all identified as the Andes strain of hantavirus. Spanish health officials confirmed testing for additional cases after a woman shared a cabin with an infected passenger. Oceanwide Expeditions, the ship’s operator, stated it is not involved in health screenings or repatriation, leaving those tasks to the WHO and national authorities. Passengers will be processed in strict health protocols, with no direct contact with Tenerife residents. The WHO emphasized that the industrial port location and controlled disembarkation procedures minimize public health risks. Governments and international agencies continue to monitor the situation, ensuring coordinated responses for affected travelers.