2026/5/10 21:59 (updated at 5/10 22:32) Please agree to our privacy policy to enable the news listening function. (Central News Agency’s Comprehensive Foreign Report on Tenilife Island on the 10th) The cruise ship “Hondías” where the hantavirus outbreak occurred is anchoring off the coast of Tenilife Island in Spain’s Canary Islands. The Spanish authorities plan to arrange for the people on board to disembark in batches in small boats. They will be quarantined after returning to the country on a special flight. The Wall Street Journal reported that World Health Organization (WHO) Secretary-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said yesterday that no one on the Dutch cruise ship Hondias currently has symptoms. He personally went to the Canary Islands to supervise on-site evacuation operations. Hantavirus is often spread through infected rodents. The only hantavirus known to be transmitted from person to person is the Andes virus strain, and it has been detected in six confirmed patients on the ship, attracting international attention. The WHO stated that as of May 8, a total of 8 reported cases had been received, of which 3 died. Tedros said that passengers evacuated from the Hondias will disembark “at the industrial port of Granadilla, far away from residential areas, and then board sealed vehicles accompanied by guards and travel through fully blocked passages” to take them to the nearest airport to fly home. In a statement, Tedros assured the residents of Tenerife Island: “You and your families will not be exposed to them.” According to reports, multiple charter flights or flights have been arranged to assist in the evacuation of cruise passengers, with destinations including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands and France. This group of passengers includes 17 Americans. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is expected to send personnel to the Canary Islands to meet them and assist in their transfer to a special isolation facility in Omaha, Nebraska. Spanish authorities said that when the “Hondías” was anchored off the coast of Tenilife Island, the health department had sent people on board to conduct health checks on all passengers and crew. After that, they will be taken ashore in a small boat in groups of 5. Passengers must wear masks and are not allowed to bring carry-on luggage. After disembarking, passengers will take a bus to the nearest Tenerife South Airport and take a special flight back home. According to reports, some crew members will remain on the ship and the Hondias will continue to sail to the Netherlands. The French Ministry of Health stated that it will assist the evacuation of five French passengers today. After returning to the country, they will be quarantined in the hospital for a full 72 hours. After completing the assessment, they will be arranged to return home, and then undergo 45 days of quarantine and appropriate monitoring. No confirmed cases have been found in France, but health authorities pointed out that on a flight between St. Helena and Johannesburg on April 25, eight French citizens had been in close contact with a confirmed person. One of them had mild symptoms, but the preliminary test result as of the 8th was negative. (Compiled by: Hong Qiyuan) 1150510 Support the Central News Agency’s choice to stand with the facts. Every donation you make is a small amount of sponsorship to protect the freedom of the press. Download the Central News Agency’s “First-hand News” APP to get the latest news in real time. The text, pictures and audio and video of this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.
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Cruise passengers evacuated in batches due to Hantavirus epidemic will return home on special flights | International | Central News Agency CNA
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