The organization of the operation for the arrival of the cruise ship MV Hondius in Tenerife, where a hantavirus outbreak has been detected, is progressing with an intense day of meetings. The Spanish healthcare and organizational system is expected to face this new challenge in approximately 48 hours.

The vessel is scheduled to anchor off the port of Granadilla de Abona, in Tenerife, on Sunday at noon. Passengers will be transferred by small boats in groups of five to the port—which lacks infrastructure to directly accommodate them—and from there to planes. The operation will be completely isolated from the population and perimetered, including vehicles and the airport area, although final details are still to be determined.

No passenger will leave the ship until their air transport has arrived at the nearby Tenerife South Airport, located about ten minutes by car from the port. The body of the deceased person on board will also be evacuated, following a specific protocol for such cases. Spain is coordinating the arrival of aircraft from countries wishing to collect their citizens, either individually or jointly.

So far, the arrival of a Boeing 747 from the United States and another plane from the United Kingdom has been confirmed, in addition to the one already announced by the Spanish Government to transfer affected individuals to Madrid. It is expected that the remaining involved states, totaling 23 nationalities, will confirm today whether they will deploy aircraft to evacuate their compatriots, which would be done via medicalized planes if passengers show symptoms.

Regarding quarantines, a government spokesperson clarified that they will be mandatory “in cases determined” by scientific authorities. The incubation period for hantavirus can range from one to six weeks, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The “day zero” from the last contact with infected individuals must now be established to calculate quarantines efficiently. None of the ship's occupants have shown symptoms since April 28.

The fourteen Spanish citizens on board are in good health and, upon arrival in Madrid, will be evaluated at the Gómez Ulla Central Defense Hospital, which has high-level isolation units, subject to signing consent. Subsequently, their daily evolution will be analyzed with all necessary tests. Additionally, the high-level isolation and treatment unit (UATAN) at the University Hospital of Nuestra Señora de La Candelaria, in Tenerife, is prepared for use if necessary with any of the passengers. This unit is the only one in the Canary Islands and one of 17 in Spain, making the island the most suitable location for the operation.

As for the crew, it is anticipated that the Netherlands, as the flag state and shipowner's country, will assume their needs and the disinfection of the vessel. This latter task is not considered complex, and it is still unknown whether it will be carried out at sea or once the ship returns to its country of origin.

The WHO has updated the data, confirming five confirmed cases and four suspected cases. Additionally, two people who traveled on the ship, which departed on April 1 from Ushuaia (Argentina), are isolated in Singapore with no or very mild symptoms. The agency is also investigating the possible origin of the outbreak, which could be related to an ornithological trip through Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay undertaken by the deceased Dutch couple. Another woman also died on the ship after presenting pneumonia symptoms.