Hantavirus Cruise Ship Passengers Await Repatriation

The situation aboard a cruise ship where the deadly hantavirus was discovered has stabilized, with all remaining passengers currently symptom-free, Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia reported.

The ship is travelling from Cape Verde to Tenerife, where authorities are planning further action. Foreign passengers will not be required to undergo quarantine in Spain upon arrival, with decisions on their onward treatment left to their home countries. The 14 Spanish citizens on board will be airlifted to a hospital in Madrid, where they will undergo quarantine.

The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that three people died on board, including one with laboratory-confirmed hantavirus. Transmitted primarily through contact with rodent droppings or urine, the virus can cause serious respiratory illness. The WHO has noted that "there are no specific cures", and treatment relies mainly on supportive care.

(reuters, max)