Hantavirus-hit Cruise to Dock in Spain: What to Know

Spain has agreed to receive the luxury cruise ship hit by a Hantavirus outbreak that has killed three people and infected several others. With nearly 150 people on board from dozens of countries, here is how they will disembark. The MV Hondius is set to arrive in Tenerife on Sunday. Cruise operator Oceanwide Expeditions has said none of the remaining passengers currently display any symptoms. Once they arrive at the port of Grenadilla, Spain's head of emergency services, Virginia Barcones, said the evacuees will be moved to the island's main airport, about 10 minutes away. They will arrive at a completely isolated, cordoned-off area. They will board vehicles that are isolated and under guard, and will proceed to a section of the airport that will be completely cordoned off. They will board the aircraft and depart. I am saying this so that the people of the Canary Islands, the men and women living there, can rest assured that there will be absolutely no possibility of contact at any time. The World Health Organization has said the wider threat to the public from the viral outbreak remains low. The Spanish government said it expected to know on Friday which countries would send charter airplanes to Tenerife to evacuate their nationals aboard the ship. The US and Britain have already confirmed they will send planes. Oceanwide said the Philippines had the highest number of people aboard, with 38, followed by 23 from Britain and 17 from the US. The 14 Spanish nationals on board the ship will be transferred by plane to a military hospital in Madrid. One of the three passengers who died after being thought to have contracted the virus remains on board. The Netherlands will handle the evacuation from Tenerife of the deceased German national, following maritime and health norms. The MV Hondius will continue its journey to the Netherlands. Authorities in the Canaries have said the goal was for the ship to spend as little time as possible in the archipelago. It is yet to be determined where the ship will be disinfected.