Spain Prepares for Arrival of Hantavirus-Hit MV Hondius in Tenerife

Spanish authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO) are finalizing a high-stakes evacuation operation as the Dutch-flagged cruise ship MV Hondius prepares to arrive in Tenerife, Canary Islands. Following a deadly hantavirus outbreak that began during a voyage from South America, the vessel is scheduled to reach the port of Granadilla in the early hours of Sunday, May 10, 2026.

The operation involves a complex coordination of health protocols, military transport, and international repatriation flights to ensure the safety of the local population and the passengers on board.

The Evacuation Strategy: From Ship to Runway

To minimize public risk, the MV Hondius will not be allowed to dock directly in Tenerife. Instead, the ship will anchor offshore, and passengers will be transferred to the port via smaller boats. From there, they will be transported by bus to a “completely isolated, cordoned-off area” before being taken directly to the runway for boarding.

Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia confirmed the vessel is expected to arrive between 4 a.m. And 6 a.m. Local time on Sunday. The evacuation timeline is critical; regional government spokesman Alfonso Cabello noted that adverse weather conditions provide a narrow window of opportunity from Sunday morning until Monday to complete the operation.

Repatriation and Quarantine Logistics

• European Union: Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska confirmed planned return flights to France, Germany, Belgium, Ireland, and the Netherlands. Two planes from the EU Civil Protection Mechanism are on standby.
• United States and United Kingdom: Both nations have made their own independent repatriation arrangements for their citizens. There are 17 U.S. Citizens among the more than 140 passengers.
• Spanish Nationals: Spanish citizens will be transported to Madrid via military plane, where they will be quarantined at a hospital.
• The Vessel: One deceased person’s body will remain on board. After the evacuation, the ship will travel to the Netherlands for disinfection according to international protocols.

WHO Reassures Public: “This Is Not Another Covid”

WHO Secretary-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has taken a personal role in the crisis, meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Madrid and planning a mission to Tenerife to oversee the disembarkation. In a message to Tenerife residents, Dr. Tedros acknowledged the trauma of the 2020 pandemic but stressed that the current situation is fundamentally different.

“I need you to hear me clearly: this is not another Covid. The current public health risk from hantavirus remains low,” Dr. Tedros stated.

WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier further explained that while the virus is dangerous to the infected individual, it is not highly contagious. He noted that in some cases, passengers sharing cabins did not both become infected, reinforcing that the virus does not jump easily from person to person.

Understanding the Outbreak: The Andes Virus

The WHO has confirmed six laboratory-verified cases of hantavirus, all identified as the Andes virus strain. Unlike some other hantaviruses, the Andes strain is known to be transmissible between humans, though the risk to the general public remains low.

The outbreak has resulted in three deaths since the vessel departed Argentina on April 1. Currently, four patients remain hospitalized across Switzerland, the Netherlands, and South Africa.

Tracing and Suspected Cases

Authorities are aggressively tracing contacts to prevent further spread:

• KLM Flight Attendant: A flight attendant who showed mild symptoms after contact with an infected passenger on a flight from Johannesburg to the Netherlands has tested negative.
• Isolation in Alicante: A woman in Alicante, Spain, is currently in a hospital isolation room after reporting coughing symptoms. She had been seated two rows away from a passenger who later died of the virus. Spanish health secretary Javier Padilla described this as a “pretty unlikely case.”

Origins of the Infection

The exact source of the outbreak remains under investigation. Argentine health officials have stated it is “practically nil” that passengers were infected in the southernmost province of Tierra del Fuego, citing the timeline between their visit and the onset of symptoms.

Current theories from Argentine investigators suggest a Dutch couple may have contracted the virus during a bird-watching trip before boarding the MV Hondius in Ushuaia on April 1.