Passengers from the cruise ship MV Hondius are disembarking in Tenerife following a hantavirus outbreak, as the vessel docked in the Canary Islands on Sunday morning.
Health Inspections and Testing
Spanish health officials boarded the ship for inspections upon arrival. UK health officials are meeting the 22 British nationals on board during disembarkation. All passengers will undergo testing before flying back to the UK.
Confirmed Cases and Impact
Six hantavirus cases are linked to the cruise, with four patients currently hospitalized. The World Health Organization reports a total of eight cases, including three deaths. One previously suspected case tested negative and was reclassified. No symptomatic passengers remain on the ship.
The UK Health Security Agency confirms three British nationals among the eight cases: two with confirmed hantavirus infections hospitalized in South Africa and the Netherlands, and one suspected case on Tristan da Cunha receiving local health support.
Military Aid to Remote Island
A specialist Army team and medical personnel parachuted onto Tristan da Cunha with oxygen supplies and equipment. Six paratroopers, an RAF consultant, and an Army nurse from 16 Air Assault Brigade arrived on Saturday evening. This marks the first instance of medical personnel parachuting in for humanitarian support on the remote South Atlantic island, normally accessible only by boat.
The RAF A400M Atlas flew from RAF Brize Norton to Ascension Island, supported by an RAF Voyager, before reaching Tristan da Cunha.
Return and Isolation Protocols
Passengers will transfer to an isolation facility at Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral, Merseyside, via chartered flight. The site, separate from public areas, will provide clinical assessments and testing as a precaution. The hospital previously housed British citizens repatriated from Wuhan, China, in early 2020 during the Covid-19 outbreak.
Government Priorities
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper emphasized that the safety of all British citizens remains the top priority. She stated: “We will continue to work closely with international authorities and the Tristan da Cunha administration, keeping those affected informed and ensuring the right support is in place in the UK and across the Overseas Territories.”
