The Hantavirus-affected cruise ship has officially reached Tenerife. The cruise docked at the Granadilla port at approximately 5:40 am UK time on Sunday, May 10. Rescue teams, including UK government personnel, will promptly start evacuating up to 147 individuals, which includes 22 British nationals, who are still on board the Hantavirus-affected cruise ship.
The evacuation needs to be finished within 24 hours of the vessel’s arrival on the popular holiday island to avoid potential delays caused by expected adverse weather conditions.
Passengers are permitted to bring only essential belongings and will be placed in isolation upon disembarkation. Garcia assured that passengers and some crew members will disembark in Tenerife under strict safety measures.
The ship will not dock but will anchor off the coast, and individuals will be transported ashore using small boats. All disembarking persons will undergo symptom screenings and will only be allowed to leave the ship once a flight is ready in Tenerife to transport them. The ship currently carries passengers from over 20 different nationalities.
Efforts are being made to complete the evacuation flights by Sunday and Monday, as mentioned by Maria Van Kerkove, the director of the WHO’s Department of Epidemic and Pandemic Management, in a briefing on Saturday.
Both the United States and the United Kingdom have agreed to deploy planes for evacuating their citizens. American nationals will be quarantined at a medical facility in Nebraska.
Spanish passengers will be moved to a medical center and put under quarantine, according to Garcia. Oceanwide has identified 13 Spanish passengers and one Spanish crew member on board.
Disembarking individuals will leave their luggage behind and can only carry a small bag containing essential items, a mobile phone, charger, and documentation. Some crew members, along with the deceased passenger’s body, will stay on the ship, which will sail to the Netherlands for disinfection, as stated by the minister.