bbc.com 19 days ago URGENCY: 7/10
Tenerife Prepares for Virus-Hit Cruise Ship Arrival
Tenerife is gearing up to receive passengers from the virus-hit MV Hondius cruise ship. With intensive safety measures in place, the operation aims to prevent the spread of the rare hantavirus.
Unprecedented Safety Measures in Tenerife
The MV Hondius cruise ship, which has been linked to a hantavirus outbreak, has finally reached Tenerife after a month of distress. Over 100 passengers are set to be repatriated, but strict security protocols are in place to ensure public safety. A one-nautical-mile perimeter will be enforced around the ship as it approaches the port, where it will anchor offshore to maintain isolation.
Spain's health minister has described the operation as "unprecedented," involving coordination from 23 countries. Key measures include:
- Increased security at the port with military police and disaster response teams.
- Medical teams will board the ship to check for symptoms before passengers are ferried to shore.
- Charter planes are on standby to repatriate passengers, with mandatory quarantine protocols in place for those returning to Spain.