Spain has granted permission for the MV Hondius, a luxury cruise ship currently anchored off the coast of Cape Verde, to dock in the Canary Islands. The decision follows a formal request from the World Health Organization (WHO) to provide medical assistance for a hantavirus outbreak on board.
The Spanish Ministry of Health announced the decision, stating the nation is acting in "compliance with International Law and the humanitarian spirit." The ministry also confirmed it will receive a medical flight carrying the ship's doctor, a Dutch national in grave condition, following a formal request from the Dutch government.
Since the outbreak began in early April, three passengers have died: a Dutch couple and a German national, according to Al Jazeera. A British national previously evacuated from the ship remains in intensive care in South Africa.
Medical protocols and transmission risks
The vessel, which departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1, carries 88 passengers and 59 crew members representing 23 different countries, according to WHO data. While hantavirus is typically spread via contact with infected rodents, health officials are investigating potential human-to-human transmission.
"We do believe that there may be some human-to-human transmission that’s happening among the really close contacts, the husband and wife, people who have shared cabins," Maria Van Kerkhove, director of epidemiology at the WHO, told Al Jazeera.
Spanish health authorities are coordinating with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) to establish arrival protocols. The Ministry of Health stated that once the ship arrives—expected within three to four days—passengers and crew will undergo medical examinations, treatment, and repatriation.
To protect the local population, the Spanish government plans to use specialized, 'ad hoc' transport and medical facilities to avoid contact with the public. The ministry emphasized that the Canary Islands were selected because the WHO determined Cape Verde lacked the necessary medical capabilities to handle the situation.
While the ship's operator, Oceanwide Expeditions, noted that two crew members require urgent care, the Spanish Ministry of Health has not yet specified which Canary Island port will receive the vessel, though Al Jazeera reported the ship is expected to dock in either Gran Canaria or Tenerife.
Spain’s Ministry of Health maintains that the country has a "moral and legal obligation to assist these people," noting that several Spanish citizens are among those on board.
