Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain. Spanish authorities said they will evacuate the last 24 passengers from the MV Hondius on Monday as health officials reported two positive hantavirus tests among repatriated passengers.
Positive tests reported by France and the United States
A French passenger evacuated from the MV Hondius tested positive for the virus and her condition is deteriorating, French Health Minister Stephanie Rist said on Monday. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said on Sunday that one of the 17 Americans being repatriated tested mildly positive for the Andes strain of the virus, while a second showed mild symptoms.
Final evacuations planned from ship anchored near Tenerife
Spanish authorities coordinating the evacuations said the remaining 24 passengers on board are set to be evacuated on Monday afternoon from the ship, which is anchored near Spain’s Atlantic island of Tenerife.
Evacuation and repatriation operation
Spanish authorities said 94 people have been evacuated and repatriated to their countries of residence, 41 days after the MV Hondius set off from southern Argentina and nine days after the first positive test result for the respiratory viral infection. Three people have died since the start of the outbreak: a Dutch couple and a German national.
Flights and next steps for the vessel
Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia said late on Sunday that a plane would leave for the Netherlands on Monday with 18 passengers from countries that did not send their own repatriation aircraft. Garcia said a second and final flight would depart for Australia around 6 p.m. local time (1700 GMT) on Monday with six passengers, including one from New Zealand and others from unspecified Asian countries.
After the evacuations, the ship will sail for the Netherlands, its flag state, Garcia said, adding that around 30 crew members would remain on board. Reuters footage on Monday showed the ship refuelling at Tenerife’s port of Granadilla ahead of the voyage.
Disinfection planned after arrival in the Netherlands
Garcia said that once in the Netherlands and with everyone disembarked, including the deceased German national still in the ship’s onboard morgue, the vessel will be thoroughly disinfected.
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