TENERIFE, SPAIN, May 11 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- Passengers of the MV Hondius boarded their respective flights on Sunday (May 10) to be transported to their countries of origin at the south airport (TFS) of the island in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, Anadolu Ajansi reported, citing EFE News Agency.
The MV Hondius reached waters near Granadilla Port early Sunday at around 5.30 am local time (0430GMT), with authorities preparing a large-scale medical and evacuation operation.
Health officials said six passengers have confirmed hantavirus infections and two others are suspected cases, with three fatalities reported, including two on board.
There are a total of 150 people on board, including 38 from the Philippines (all crew), 23 from the UK, 17 from the US, 14 from Spain, 11 from the Netherlands, eight from Germany, and five each from France and Ukraine.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has classified the outbreak as a Level 3 emergency response, the agency’s lowest emergency activation level.
The outbreak, involving the Andes strain of hantavirus, has resulted in five confirmed cases, including three deaths, according to World Health Organization (WHO) officials.
Scientists confirmed the outbreak was caused by the rare Andes variant of hantavirus, the only known strain capable of human-to-human transmission, usually through close contact.
The WHO said two passengers who later died had travelled through Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay before boarding the ship.
CDC officials said passengers will be monitored for about six weeks, reflecting the incubation period of the virus, while health authorities in several US states are also tracking travellers who had already left the vessel before the outbreak was confirmed.
-- BERNAMA-ANADOLU
