Spanish authorities are preparing to receive more than 140 passengers and crew members on board the Hantavirus-stricken MV Hondius cruise ship.
The Dutch-flagged vessel – whose route began in Argentina and was set to Cape Verde – is now headed to the Canary Islands, where health officials confirmed they will perform careful evacuations.
The vessel is expected to reach the Spanish island of Tenerife, off the coast of West Africa, over the weekend.
At least three passengers have reportedly died, with several other passengers sick.
CDC Classifies Outbreak as 'Low Risk'
According to multiple sources who spoke with ABC News, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) activated its Emergency Operations Centers and has classified the hantavirus outbreak as "Level 3.”
The Level 3 category is the lowest level of emergency activation, meaning that potential risk to the general public remains low. This classification is reportedly typical during this stage of an outbreak.
The health agency confirmed that the situation is being actively monitored and an emergency team has been developed to support the response.
Assurances For The State of Florida
This incident raises concerns for the cruise line sector and the state of Florida, one of the largest cruise ship hubs, and home to PortMiami, recognized as the ‘Cruise Capital of the World.’
A report by the University of South Florida assures that this recent outbreak does not indicate a broader risk to cruise travelers.
“Cruise ships have strong health and sanitation protocols, and there is no evidence that being on a typical cruise increases the risk of hantavirus,” Dr. Sten Vermund, dean of the USF Health College of Public Health and chief medical officer of the Global Virus Network, stated.
“This hantavirus outbreak is a unique event, but we want to ensure that future cruise ship travel is as safe as possible. The industry already takes rodent control very seriously, which may help explain why outbreaks like this have not been seen previously,” Dr. Vermund added.
