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Evacuation of passengers from virus-hit cruise ship to be completed on Monday

Evacuation of passengers from virus-hit cruise ship to be completed on Monday

May 11 (Reuters) - The evacuation of passengers from a Dutch-flagged luxury cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak will be completed on Monday with flights from Australia and the Netherlands, Spain's health minister has said.
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Hantavirus Outbreak on MV Hondius Prompts Evacuations

Hantavirus Outbreak on MV Hondius Prompts Evacuations

A deadly hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship has resulted in eight people falling ill, including three fatalities. The World Health Organization confirmed six cases as hantavirus infections, with two more suspected. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has classified all passengers as high-risk contacts. The ship is expected to arrive off the Spanish island of Tenerife, where a mobile medical facility has been set up at the port of Granadilla de Abona. Passengers showing symptoms will undergo medical assessment and testing upon arrival. Depending on their condition, they may be isolated in Tenerife or medically evacuated to their home countries. Asymptomatic passengers will be repatriated for self-quarantine using specially arranged transport.
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WHO Chief Addresses Concerns Over Hantavirus Ship Arrival in Tenerife

WHO Chief Addresses Concerns Over Hantavirus Ship Arrival in Tenerife

The Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, is in Tenerife to oversee the safe evacuation of nearly 150 passengers from the MV Hondius, a cruise ship affected by a hantavirus outbreak. The ship is scheduled to arrive at Tenerife's Granadilla port early Sunday morning. The outbreak, which has resulted in three deaths, is caused by the hantavirus, typically spread through contact with rodent droppings. Tedros reassured residents that the situation is not akin to COVID-19, emphasizing that the public health risk remains low. Spanish authorities have prepared a detailed plan for the ship's arrival, ensuring passengers are transported in sealed vehicles and kept away from residential areas before being repatriated. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is sending epidemiologists to assess the risk for American passengers, who will be transported back to the U.S. in a biocontainment unit.
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Hantavirus Case Confirmed Among Spanish Evacuees from Cruise Ship

Hantavirus Case Confirmed Among Spanish Evacuees from Cruise Ship

A new case of hantavirus has been confirmed among Spanish evacuees from the MV Hondius cruise ship, which was quarantined due to an outbreak. The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported 11 cases and three deaths linked to the virus among the ship's passengers. The latest case involves a Spanish passenger who is currently stable and under observation. The Spanish Health Ministry has confirmed that other passengers have tested negative. The ship, which docked in Tenerife, was part of a large-scale evacuation operation. The Dutch hospital workers involved in treating a hantavirus patient have been quarantined due to procedural errors.
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2 passengers test positive for hantavirus as a third shows symptoms after cruise ship evacuation

2 passengers test positive for hantavirus as a third shows symptoms after cruise ship evacuation

A French woman and an American have tested positive for the hantavirus as nations around the world scramble to repatriate passengers from a cruise ship hit by an outbreak and quarantine or isolate them
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Hantavirus-Exposed Cruise Passengers Quarantined in Spain

Hantavirus-Exposed Cruise Passengers Quarantined in Spain

Passengers from a cruise ship exposed to hantavirus have been evacuated and quarantined in Madrid, Spain. The passengers were initially in the Canary Islands and were sprayed with decontamination liquid before being flown to the Spanish capital. The World Health Organization (WHO) has assured the public that the risk of hantavirus spreading is low and has urged calm. This incident highlights the ongoing challenges of managing infectious disease outbreaks in travel settings.
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WHO Coordinates Global Response to Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship

WHO Coordinates Global Response to Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship

A lethal strain of hantavirus has been identified on a luxury cruise liner, prompting a global response coordinated by the World Health Organization (WHO). The outbreak, reported on May 2, has resulted in nine probable cases and three fatalities. The virus, identified as the Andes strain, is known for its potential to spread from person to person. The cruise ship, flagged to the Netherlands, had 149 passengers and crew onboard when the virus was detected, with 29 passengers having disembarked earlier. The WHO is leading international efforts to trace and contain the virus, with affected countries contributing to the response. The ship is currently anchored near the Canary Islands, where passengers are being evacuated under strict conditions.
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Experts wonder 'Where is the CDC?' as a hantavirus outbreak unfolds on a cruise ship

Experts wonder 'Where is the CDC?' as a hantavirus outbreak unfolds on a cruise ship

Public health experts are questioning the U.S. government's response to the hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship that involves Americans
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CDC's Absence in Hantavirus Outbreak Raises Concerns Among Experts

CDC's Absence in Hantavirus Outbreak Raises Concerns Among Experts

A hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship has highlighted the absence of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in managing the situation, according to experts. The outbreak, which involves American passengers, has seen limited involvement from the CDC, with the World Health Organization (WHO) taking the lead. The CDC's delayed response included sending a team to Spain's Canary Islands and issuing a health alert to U.S. doctors. Experts have criticized the CDC's diminished role, noting that the agency has historically been a leader in international health crises. The outbreak began with a Dutch man developing a feverish illness on a cruise ship, leading to multiple cases and deaths.
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Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship arrives at Tenerife in Spain's Canary Islands

Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship arrives at Tenerife in Spain's Canary Islands

A hantavirus-stricken cruise ship with more than 140 people on board has arrived at Tenerife, one of Spain’s Canary Islands off the coast of West Africa
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WHO Urges Calm as Spanish Island Prepares for Hantavirus Cruise Ship

WHO Urges Calm as Spanish Island Prepares for Hantavirus Cruise Ship

The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for calm among residents of Tenerife, a Spanish island, as it prepares to receive passengers from a cruise ship affected by hantavirus. The ship has already resulted in three fatalities. The WHO's appeal comes amid concerns about the potential spread of the virus, which is transmitted to humans through contact with rodent excrement. The situation has drawn significant attention as the island braces for the arrival of the ship, with health officials likely to implement strict quarantine and health measures to prevent further infections.
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WHO Director-General Addresses Tenerife on Hantavirus Response, Emphasizes Low Risk

WHO Director-General Addresses Tenerife on Hantavirus Response, Emphasizes Low Risk

The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has issued a direct message to the people of Tenerife regarding the response to a hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius. The ship, carrying nearly 150 passengers from 23 countries, has been directed to Tenerife due to its medical capacity and infrastructure. Dr. Tedros reassured the public that the risk of hantavirus to the local population is low, despite the seriousness of the virus, which has resulted in three fatalities. The WHO has coordinated with Spanish authorities to ensure that passengers are safely transported and repatriated without contact with the local population. Dr. Tedros praised Spain's decision to receive the ship as an act of solidarity and moral duty, highlighting the importance of international cooperation in public health crises.