Spain to Host Hantavirus-Infected Cruise Ship in the Canary Islands
· Telemundo McAllen (KTLM)
Spain will host a luxury cruise ship with a deadly hantavirus outbreak in the Canary Islands at the request of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 'compliance with International Law and humanitarian spirit,' according to the Ministry of Health. Spain has also accepted a formal request from the Dutch government to accommodate a doctor from the MV Hondius cruise ship, who is in serious condition and will be immediately transferred to the Canary Islands by air ambulance. The Spanish government will announce the details of the protocol for accommodating the cruise ship as soon as they are defined by the WHO and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and will provide updates on its implementation, according to Health officials. The MV Hondius is currently anchored in Cape Verde, where a team of WHO epidemiologists is conducting an assessment on board to determine the next steps. According to the vessel tracking site MarineTraffic, the Hondius has not moved since Monday morning. The epidemiologists aim to assess the health status of the 147 people on board, which includes 14 Spaniards, among them five Catalans, three Madrileños, one Galician, and one Valencian, who are reportedly in good health. The WHO has reported that seven people are affected by the outbreak of this virus, which is typically transmitted from rats to humans through direct contact with the rodents or their droppings. Among the cases, two have been confirmed in the laboratory, with three fatalities and one person in critical condition in South Africa.
AI summary · Source: Telemundo McAllen (KTLM) →
