Residents and port workers in Tenerife protest the arrival of the MV Hondius cruise ship, affected by a hantavirus outbreak, as Spanish authorities prepare to handle over 140 passengers and crew. The ship docks Friday, with health officials planning evacuations to an isolated area.
Local Demonstrations Demand Safety Measures
Dozens gathered outside the Canary Islands parliament in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, waving placards, sounding whistles, and chanting for transparency. Port worker Joana Batista expressed concerns, stating, “We’re unhappy at the idea of being allowed to work in a port without special safety measures or information when an infected boat is approaching.”
She added, “If the boat is going to stop here, then it can do so, but with the necessary measures in place. Local people need to be told how this will affect them, how the passengers will be transported. We need reassurance above all.” Some protesters threaten to block the ship if demands go unmet.
Canary Islands Leader Opposes Docking
Canary Islands President Fernando Clavijo opposes the docking, calling it lacking technical criteria. He stated there is “insufficient information to maintain a message of calm and guarantee the safety of the Canary Island population.” Clavijo criticized the Spanish government for institutional disloyalty and the Health Minister Mónica García for not explaining WHO criteria, insisting, “I cannot allow it to enter the Canary Islands.”
Ship Status and Evacuation Plans
Three deaths occurred from the outbreak, with six former passengers confirmed infected. Oceanwide Expeditions reports no symptomatic cases aboard the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius. The WHO assesses public risk as low, with spokesman Christian Lindmeier noting a flight attendant’s negative test eases concerns: “The risk remains absolutely low. This is not a new COVID.”
The ship heads to Tenerife from Cape Verde, weather permitting. UK and US arrange repatriation flights. Twenty-two British nationals remain aboard; UK Health Security Agency and Foreign Office officials will test them upon docking Sunday. Negative, asymptomatic individuals board a dedicated flight with medical support.
The US sends a plane for 17 Americans, who face quarantine at Nebraska Medicine’s National Quarantine Unit. CEO Dr. Michael Ash affirmed, “We are prepared for situations exactly like this.” Most Britons self-isolate at home post-flight, with alternatives for others.
Hantavirus Transmission and Global Response
Hantavirus spreads mainly via rodent droppings inhalation, though the Andes strain may transmit person-to-person rarely. Symptoms appear 1-8 weeks post-exposure. Authorities track over two dozen early disembarkers from 12 countries and their contacts across four continents.
A third British national on Tristan da Cunha shows suspected infection. A Spanish woman in Alicante awaits tests after shared flight exposure. Two other Britons confirm infected: one in Netherlands, one in South Africa. South Africa traces St. Helena flight contacts.
Anonymous Spanish passengers report calm onboard, with masking and distancing, but fear public backlash: “We’re scared by all the news that’s coming out, by how people are going to receive us.” Officials reassure Canary Islanders: evacuations use small boats to isolated buses post-flight readiness, with cordoned airport paths.
On April 24, passengers left without tracing; first confirmation came May 2. A Dutch passenger died in Johannesburg after a brief KLM flight.
