'this Is Not Another Covid': Who Seeks To Reassure Spanish Island As Hantavirus-stricken Ship Approaches

TENERIFE, Spain — The caput of nan World Health Organization sought Saturday to reassure residents of nan Spanish land wherever passengers of a hantavirus-stricken cruise vessel are expected to beryllium evacuated, issuing them a connection that nan microorganism was “not different COVID.”

The Dutch-flagged MV Hondius, pinch much than 140 passengers and unit members connected board, is headed to Spain’s Canary Islands, disconnected nan seashore of West Africa, and is expected to get connected nan land of Tenerife early Sunday.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, on pinch Spain’s Health Minister Monica Garcia and Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska, were owed connected nan land Saturday to coordinate nan disembarkation of passengers and immoderate members of nan crew.

“I cognize you are worried. I cognize that erstwhile you perceive nan connection ‘outbreak’ and watch a vessel sail toward your shores, memories aboveground that nary of america person afloat put to rest. The symptom of 2020 is still real, and I do not disregard it for a azygous moment,” Tedros said successful a connection to nan group of Tenerife, alluding to nan COVID-19 emergency that arrived abruptly that year.

“But I request you to perceive maine clearly: This is not different COVID. The existent nationalist wellness consequence from hantavirus remains low. My colleagues and I person said this unequivocally, and I will opportunity it again to you now,” Tedros added.

The WHO, Spanish authorities and cruise institution Oceanwide Expeditions said cipher connected nan Hondius is presently showing symptoms of nan virus.

Hantavirus tin origin life-threatening illness. It usually spreads erstwhile group inhale contaminated residue of rodent droppings and isn’t easy transmitted betwixt people. But nan Andes microorganism detected successful nan cruise vessel outbreak whitethorn beryllium capable to dispersed betwixt group successful uncommon cases. Symptoms usually show betwixt 1 and 8 weeks aft exposure.

Three group person died since nan outbreak, and 5 passengers who near nan vessel are infected pinch hantavirus.

Tenerife residents worried

Some connected Tenerife opportunity they are worried. Meanwhile onboard nan cruise ship, immoderate Spanish passengers person voiced interest astir being stigmatized.

“I show you, I don’t for illustration this very much,” said 69-year-old Tenerife resident Simon Vidal. “Anyone tin opportunity what they want. Why did they person to bring a vessel from different state here? Why not anyplace else; why bring it to nan Canary Islands?”

Others said they empathized pinch nan boat’s passengers but were still concerned.

“The truth is that it is very worrying,” said 27-year-old Venezuelan migrant Samantha Aguero. She added: “We consciousness a spot unsafe; we don’t consciousness arsenic location are 100% information measures successful spot to invited it. This is simply a microorganism aft each and we person lived this during nan pandemic. But we besides request to person empathy.”

Plan for passengers and crew

Garcia said passengers and immoderate unit members would disembark astatine Tenerife “under maximum information conditions.”

The vessel will not dock but will stay astatine anchor, pinch group ferried disconnected successful mini boats. Everyone disembarking will beryllium checked for symptoms and won’t beryllium taken disconnected nan vessel until a formation is successful Tenerife waiting for them, Garcia said during a news convention successful Madrid. There are group of much than 20 nationalities aboard.

Authorities are aiming to complete nan removal flights connected Sunday and Monday, said Maria Van Kerkove, nan head of nan WHO’s Department of Epidemic and Pandemic Management, successful a briefing Saturday.

Both nan U.S. and nan U.K. person agreed to nonstop planes to evacuate their citizens. Americans are to beryllium quarantined astatine a aesculapian halfway successful Nebraska.

All Spanish passengers will beryllium transferred to a aesculapian installation and quarantined, Garcia said. Oceanwide Expeditions has listed 13 Spanish passengers and 1 Spanish unit personnel connected board.

Those disembarking will time off down their luggage, Garcia said, and will beryllium allowed to return only a mini container pinch basal items, a cellphone, charger and documentation.

Some unit members, arsenic good arsenic nan assemblage of a rider who died connected board, will stay connected nan ship, which will sail connected to nan Netherlands, wherever it will acquisition disinfection, nan curate added.

Medical removal plane

According to a missive sent by nan Dutch overseas and wellness ministers to parliament precocious Friday, Spain has activated nan EU civilian protection system for a aesculapian removal level equipped for infectious diseases to beryllium connected standby successful lawsuit anyone connected nan vessel becomes ill. That personification would past beryllium transported by aerial to nan European mainland.

The Dutch authorities will activity pinch Spanish authorities and nan vessel institution to put repatriation of Dutch passengers and unit arsenic soon arsenic imaginable aft presence successful Tenerife, taxable to aesculapian conditions and proposal from nan European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, nan missive said. Those without symptoms will spell into location quarantine for six weeks and beryllium monitored by section wellness services.

As nan vessel is Dutch-flagged, nan Netherlands whitethorn besides temporarily accommodate group of different nationalities and show them successful quarantine, it said.

Tracking passengers

Health authorities crossed 4 continents were search down and monitoring much than 2 twelve passengers who disembarked earlier nan deadly outbreak was detected. They were besides scrambling to trace others who whitethorn person travel into interaction pinch them.

On April 24, astir 2 weeks aft nan first rider died connected board, much than 2 twelve group from astatine slightest 12 countries near nan vessel without interaction tracing, Dutch officials and nan ship’s usability person said.

It wasn’t until May 2 that wellness authorities first confirmed hantavirus successful a passenger.

Dutch nationalist wellness authorities person been monitoring group who were connected a formation that was concisely boarded by a Dutch vessel rider who later died and was confirmed to person hantavirus. Three group who were connected nan formation and had symptoms person each tested antagonistic for nan virus, Dutch National Institute for Public Health spokesperson Harald Wychgel told nan Associated Press connected Saturday.

Sullivan and Becatoros constitute for nan Associated Press and reported from Tenarife and Sparta, Greece, respectively. AP writers Angela Charlton successful Paris and Helena Alves successful Tenerife contributed to this report.