Evacuation Plan Implemented for Passengers from MV Hondius

An aircraft from the Irish Air Corps has been dispatched to Tenerife to facilitate the return of two Irish nationals who were on board the MV Hondius cruise ship, which is currently affected by a hantavirus outbreak. The Irish Department of Health confirmed that the plane landed in Tenerife on Sunday afternoon to undertake an 'aeromedical evacuation' for the passengers. The MV Hondius, which docked in Tenerife on the same day, had previously set sail from Cape Verde. In addition to the Irish citizens, passengers from the United Kingdom, Turkey and the United States are also set to be evacuated later today.

Spanish authorities have confirmed that they are assessing the health status of passengers and overseeing the disembarkation process, which is reportedly proceeding smoothly. The two Irish citizens are reported to be in good health and have been adhering to isolation protocols. The Department of Health has indicated that the repatriation plans were established to ensure the Irish passengers could return directly from Tenerife to Ireland on Sunday, contingent on their health status at the time of disembarkation.

Passengers from Spain and France have already been evacuated from the vessel and have returned to their home countries for quarantine. The Department of Health stated that measures have been carefully designed and guided by public health authorities to ensure the safety of all parties involved. This includes necessary precautions to protect local communities and maintain the dignity of those returning home.

The outbreak has resulted in three fatalities on the MV Hondius, with two of the deceased confirmed to have had hantavirus. Passengers will need to self-isolate after leaving Tenerife, with the virus having an incubation period of up to nine weeks. The World Health Organization has advised a 42-day quarantine for crew members and passengers following their last exposure.

Additionally, British Army medics have been deployed to Tristan da Cunha, a remote territory, to assist a British national exhibiting possible symptoms of hantavirus. This individual left the MV Hondius in mid-April and reported symptoms two weeks later but is currently in stable condition while isolating. Aeroplane support, including oxygen supplies dropped from a Royal Air Force plane, has been coordinated due to critical levels on the island.

As of now, Spanish nationals are the first to leave the vessel as part of evacuation operations. Ongoing cooperation among international health officials is being maintained as they monitor the situation and offer assistance. Spanish passengers are being ferried off the ship in small launch boats, while other nations including the U.S., U.K. and Netherlands have arranged for repatriation of their citizens. The evacuation operation is anticipated to continue into Monday, with strict health checks being conducted for all disembarking passengers. The cruise ship will subsequently sail to Rotterdam in the Netherlands for disinfection prior to resuming operations.