An international medical operation was completed this week in Praia, Cape Verde, to evacuate three individuals from the cruise ship MV Hondius following a deadly outbreak of hantavirus. The patients were transported under strict biohazard protocols to the airport, where two air ambulances were waiting to fly them to the Netherlands for specialized treatment.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), confirmed the evacuation via social media, noting that the operation was coordinated between the ship’s operator and authorities from Cape Verde, the United Kingdom, Spain, and the Netherlands.
“The WHO is working closely with the operators to monitor the health of all passengers and crew,” he stated.
Read more about this topic: Understanding hantavirus: the disease behind isolated cruise in Cape Verde (with videos)
According to Ann Lindstrand, the WHO representative in Cape Verde, the three individuals are currently in stable condition. The group includes:
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Two crew members presenting mild respiratory symptoms.
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One asymptomatic passenger who shared a cabin with one of the outbreak’s three fatalities.
The MV Hondius began its journey in Argentina and crossed the South Atlantic during April with 147 people on board. To date, the outbreak has affected seven individuals, resulting in three deaths. Laboratory results have confirmed hantavirus in two cases, while the remaining five are classified as suspected.
Authorities in Cape Verde have emphasized that the health risk to the local population remains “low.” No passengers were allowed to disembark during the ship’s stay, and medical personnel who boarded the vessel to assist the sick wore full-body protective suits.
Once the evacuation process is finalized and the safety of the remaining crew and passengers is verified, the ship is expected to leave the archipelago and resume its voyage toward either the Canary Islands or the Netherlands. No new cases have been reported among the remaining occupants currently under quarantine.
