A cruise ship with nearly 150 people aboard has been cleared to dock in Spain's Canary Islands after medical crews evacuated three people, including two staff members, over a suspected hantavirus outbreak believed to have claimed at least three passengers' lives.
The MV Hondius received Spanish authorities' permission to continue its three-day voyage to the islands following the emergency removals. Once the vessel arrives, personnel from Spain's health ministry will coordinate with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the World Health Organization to evaluate and treat remaining crew and passengers before sending them home.
Hantavirus is a rare illness typically transmitted from infected rodents through their urine, droppings, and saliva. The outbreak aboard the ship triggered swift action to contain potential spread among the population confined to the vessel.
The docking plan has faced resistance. On Wednesday, the Canary Islands government announced opposition to the arrangement and requested an urgent meeting with Spain's prime minister to discuss the situation.
Author James Rodriguez: "A rare disease outbreak forcing emergency evacuations at sea is bad enough, but local governments blocking a sick ship from reaching port shows how unprepared we still are for these crises."
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