Hantavirus cases linked to cruise ship rise to nine: WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Monday that nine cases have now been linked to hantavirus-hit cruise ship MV Hondius, with seven confirmed infections of the Andes virus and three fatalities.

Andes virus is a rodent-borne hantavirus endemic to South America and the only known hantavirus capable of limited human-to-human transmission. The latest confirmed case involves a French female passenger who disembarked the vessel the previous day and returned to France.

Olivier Le Polain, head of the Epidemiology and Analytics for Response (EAR) of the WHO, made the announcement in a live social media conversation held in Geneva.

The WHO official noted that one additional repatriated passenger is currently awaiting confirmatory diagnostic results. He also provided updates on the evacuation and transfer operations for passengers and crew members from the MV Hondius at Tenerife, Spain.

Addressing questions about the emergence of new cases despite containment efforts, the epidemiologist explained that the Andes virus has a relatively long incubation period -- typically around three weeks, and in some cases extending to 40-45 days. Even with strict preventive measures in place, there may be additional cases in the coming days or even next week, he cautioned.

To mitigate further transmission, WHO recommends that individuals who have disembarked from the vessel undergo isolation or quarantine to minimize contact with others. This precaution is particularly critical during the initial symptomatic phase, when viral contagiousness is highest. The organization advocates for active health monitoring and voluntary quarantine for all potentially exposed persons to prevent wider community spread.

In related developments, Spain's Ministry of Health announced late Monday that among the 14 Spanish nationals evacuated from the MV Hondius on Sunday and currently under isolation at a Madrid hospital, one individual has returned a preliminary positive PCR test result for hantavirus.

The patient remains asymptomatic and is in stable condition. The other 13 individuals have tested negative, the ministry said.

Hantavirus cases linked to cruise ship rise to nine: WHO

Spain completed the evacuation and transfer of the final group of passengers and crew members from the hantavirus-hit cruise ship MV Hondius on Monday, as the vessel departed the Spanish island of Tenerife and set sail for Rotterdam in the Netherlands.

The final group of 28 evacuees, including passengers and crew members, disembarked after the ship docked at the Port of Granadilla on Tenerife and were subsequently transferred to Tenerife South Airport for a flight to the Netherlands, while another 26 crew members on board the vessel continued their voyage to Rotterdam.

Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia said that the vessel docked for around one hour following a recommendation by Spain's Maritime Authority due to strong winds and rough sea conditions in the port area, in order to ensure the safety of passengers and emergency personnel, and the entire evacuation operation had been carried out "under completely safe conditions."

According to Garcia, among the final evacuees were six passengers who had originally been scheduled to fly to Australia but were ultimately transferred on the Netherlands-bound flight.

She said that after all evacuees leave the island of Tenerife, the relevant Spanish authorities will carry out a comprehensive disinfection of the areas receiving the evacuees.

Spain completes final evacuation as hantavirus-hit ship departs for Rotterdam