This is how the complex disembarkation of the cruise ship MV Hondius in Tenerife is, with a large security operation due to the hantavirus: the Government and the OMS launch a message of tranquility

The shipping company Oceanwide Expeditions has announced that the vessel MV Hondius is scheduled to arrive at the port of Granadilla, in Tenerife, this Sunday, May 10, at 05:30 (local time). As the company has detailed, the staggered disembarkation of passengers and a reduced number of crew members will begin around 08:00.

The company has explained that the operation will be carried out in organized groups by means of Zodiac boats from the ship itself or in launches, with a maximum of five passengers per Zodiac and ten per launch, following the established sanitary protocols. Once on land, travelers will be transferred directly to the planes destined for their repatriation to their respective countries, where they must comply with the quarantine measures set by each national authority. The company has stressed that “there will be no quarantine for non-Spanish nationals in Spain”.

Oceanwide Expeditions has also pointed out that it does not intervene in the organization of health screening or in repatriation, tasks that correspond to the OMS along with various international organizations and governments.

In relation to the luggage, the shipping company has indicated that it will remain aboard the MV Hondius, although it maintains contact with the passengers to coordinate its safe return. After completing the disembarkation, the ship will make a stop at the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife to refuel and resupply before sailing towards Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, with the rest of the crew, on an estimated five-day voyage.

The company has also confirmed the list of nationalities present on board during the month of April. Of the 114 passengers who sailed from Ushuaia, Argentina, last April 1, three had also participated in the previous voyage, carried out between March 20 and 31 —one Greek citizen and two Dutch—, and none of them has presented symptoms.

Reassuring messages from the Government and the WHO

The Ministers of Health, Mónica García; of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska; and of Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, Ángel Víctor Torres, together with the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, have assured the media that both Tenerife and the whole of Spain are prepared to attend to the arrival of the cruise ship affected by the hantavirus outbreak.

García affirmed upon his arrival at the port of Granadilla that “everything is prepared” to attend to the passengers and part of the crew “with the greatest guarantees,” both for the population and for “public health.” “It’s going to turn out well,” he added.

For his part, Tedros pointed out that hantavirus “is not COVID,” although he stressed that they “do not” take it “lightly.” In this regard, he affirmed that “the risk to the local population is low” and highlighted that the Government of Spain has “made all preparations to prevent any problem.” “Tenerife is ready and prepared. Spain is ready and prepared,” he maintained.

The Minister of Health described the device as “unprecedented” and highlighted the collaboration and coordination of “23 involved countries”. Furthermore, she positively assessed the negative result of the first PCR performed on the woman admitted in Alicante and indicated that the result of the second test will be known in 24 hours. She also indicated that surveillance continues on another woman in Catalonia who was in contact with one of the deceased and remains without symptoms.

Finally, García explained that only two flights remain pending confirmation of their arrival for tomorrow, while Grande-Marlaska later specified that “all flights are arriving between today and tomorrow”.