RismadarVoice Reporters, May 11, 2026
Spanish authorities on Monday defended their handling of a hantavirus scare aboard a cruise ship, insisting that strict health protocols were enforced to prevent further spread of the disease after passengers from the United States and France tested positive.
The outbreak prompted a large-scale evacuation operation involving nearly 150 passengers and crew members aboard the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius, which docked in the Canary Islands after three passengers reportedly died during the voyage.
Spanish health officials said 94 evacuees from 19 nationalities were repatriated on Sunday under close medical supervision following extensive health screenings before departure from Tenerife.
Despite the measures, authorities in France and the United States later confirmed positive hantavirus cases involving one passenger each evacuated from the vessel.
Spain’s Health Ministry maintained that all necessary precautions were taken from the onset of the operation to contain any possible transmission.
According to the ministry, the French passenger only began experiencing symptoms during the flight home and had shown no signs of illness while onboard the ship. Officials also stated that the American passenger displayed no symptoms during the vessel’s earlier stop in Cape Verde, though US authorities later classified the case as positive and arranged a separate evacuation procedure.
Additional repatriation flights to Australia and the Netherlands were scheduled for Monday as authorities moved to complete the evacuation process.
Spanish officials said the vessel would later depart for the Netherlands with a reduced crew after refuelling operations were completed.
The incident triggered international concern due to the rare but potentially deadly nature of hantavirus, an illness commonly linked to rodents. However, health experts continue to stress that the risk of widespread transmission remains low.
There is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for hantavirus, although public health authorities have dismissed comparisons with the COVID-19 pandemic, describing the situation as contained and under close monitoring.
