Tenerife Braces for Hantavirus Cruise Ship Arrival

The Spanish island of Tenerife is preparing for the arrival of the MV Hondius, a cruise ship carrying more than 140 passengers and crew members affected by a hantavirus outbreak. The ship, which has seen at least three deaths and several infections, is expected to reach Tenerife early Sunday.

The Spanish government has agreed with the World Health Organization (WHO) that passengers will be ferried from the ship directly to repatriation flights without contact with local residents. Authorities have cordoned off areas in Granadilla port for this purpose, according to Reuters. The United States and Britain are sending planes to pick up their citizens.

Dock workers in Tenerife protested outside the Canary Islands' parliament building on Friday, expressing concerns about health risks. Joana Batista of a local port workers' union said they need safety measures and information before allowing the ship to dock. Some have threatened to block its arrival if demands are not met, as reported by BBC. The government has sought to reassure residents that there will be no contact between passengers and locals.

The hantavirus outbreak has raised concerns about the virus's transmissibility. While the WHO considers the risk to the wider public low, authorities across four continents are tracking down passengers who disembarked before the outbreak was detected. The virus is usually spread by contaminated rodent droppings but can rarely transmit between people, according to PBS. Symptoms typically appear one to eight weeks after exposure.