Canary Islands President Fernando Clavijo Rejects Plan to Dock Cruise Ship Linked to Hantavirus Outbreak

Canary Islands President Fernando Clavijo said Wednesday the archipelago opposes a plan to receive the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius cruise ship, which is linked to a growing hantavirus cluster that has killed three people and prompted the evacuation of additional suspected patients.

The Details

Three patients suspected of having hantavirus were evacuated from the MV Hondius on May 6 and transported to the Netherlands for treatment, according to the World Health Organization and reports from CBS News and ABC News.

As of May 4, the WHO reported that seven linked cases had been identified on the vessel, including two laboratory-confirmed hantavirus infections, three deaths, one critically ill patient, and three additional suspected cases still aboard the ship. ABC News reported on May 6 that the WHO had raised its public tally to eight suspected cases, including three laboratory-confirmed infections, indicating the situation remained fluid.

Switzerland's Federal Office of Public Health confirmed that one man who had returned from the cruise ship tested positive for Andes virus hantavirus and was isolated at University Hospital Zurich. The agency assessed the risk to the public in Switzerland as low.

The vessel departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1 for a South Atlantic and Antarctic itinerary and was moored off Cabo Verde while authorities coordinated evacuations, laboratory testing, and decisions on where the ship could next dock.

Context

Canary Islands President Fernando Clavijo publicly opposed allowing the MV Hondius to dock in the archipelago, reversing earlier expectations that the ship would head to Tenerife for inspection and investigation."The Canary Islands always acts with responsibility, but it cannot accept decisions taken behind the backs of the Canary Islands institutions and without sufficient information to the population," Clavijo said in a social media statement. The dispute leaves the final docking destination unresolved.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the organization "continues to work with the ship's operators to closely monitor the health of passengers and crew, working with countries to support appropriate medical follow-up and evacuation where needed."

The outbreak has drawn unusual scrutiny because Andes virus is one of the few hantavirus variants with documented, though rare, person-to-person transmission. The WHO has stated that human hantavirus infection is usually tied to rodent exposure, but limited person-to-person spread has been documented in rare Andes virus outbreaks involving close and prolonged contact. Passengers and crew were instructed to practice maximal physical distancing, remain in cabins where possible, and monitor symptoms for an extended period, according to WHO guidance.

What's Next

The ship's ability to dock in Spanish waters remains uncertain after Clavijo's objection, with the Canary Islands government demanding consultation with Spain's central government before any reception plan proceeds. The WHO continues to coordinate with the vessel's operators and national authorities to monitor passengers and crew, support medical follow-up, and arrange evacuations where needed.