On the evening of May 10 local time, Spanish Health Minister Mónica García stated that as of that evening, 94 people had been evacuated from the Hantavirus-affected cruise ship, the Hondius. The final two planes carrying personnel from the Hondius are scheduled to take off on the afternoon of May 11 local time.
García said the last two aircraft are an Australian plane and a Dutch plane. The Australian plane carries six people, while the Dutch plane carries 18. These individuals include personnel from other countries that did not dispatch their own planes.
According to the schedule announced by the Spanish Ministry of Health, after confirming that all passengers and non-essential crew members have been evacuated, the "Hondius" — with its remaining personnel on board — will sail to Rotterdam, the Netherlands, for deep disinfection. The entire evacuation process is being supervised by World Health Organization (WHO) officials.
Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, Acting Director of the Department of Epidemic and Pandemic Threat Management at the World Health Organization (WHO), said this has been a collaborative operation, led by Spain with support from the Netherlands. Regarding those already evacuated from the cruise ship, she recommends active monitoring and follow-up of their health status — meaning they should undergo daily health checks either at home or at designated facilities.
On May 9, Van Kerkhove stated that the WHO recommends 42 days of active monitoring and follow-up for all disembarked individuals. The monitoring period should begin from their last known contact with a confirmed or suspected case of Hantavirus infection. Van Kerkhove also noted that the WHO currently classifies all individuals on board as "high-risk contacts," but the risk to the general public remains low.
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