Passengers Evacuated From Cruise Ship Amid Hantavirus Outbreak

Passengers and crew members aboard a cruise ship affected by a hantavirus outbreak began disembarking Sunday in Tenerife as governments coordinated evacuation efforts for citizens returning to their home countries, Corina Pons and Victoria Waldersee reported for Reuters.

Passengers were evacuated following a hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship. (Photo: Stefan Brending, Wikimedia Commons)

Passengers — none of whom were showing symptoms of the virus — were transported to Tenerife airport aboard military buses for evacuation flights arranged by their respective governments, officials said.

Authorities emphasized that evacuees would have no contact with the general public.

The World Health Organization has recommended a 42-day quarantine period for all passengers from the vessel beginning Sunday.

Flights carrying Spanish and French nationals had already departed by 1130 GMT.

According to Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia, Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Ireland, and the United States were expected to conduct additional evacuations.

A Dutch aircraft was also expected to transport German, Belgian, and Greek passengers.