The cruise ship at the center of the hantavirus outbreak is approaching the Spanish island of Tenerife, where its 147 passengers are expected to disembark in a carefully managed repatriation operation involving multiple nations.
MV Hondius will anchor at the Port of Granadilla, in the Canary Islands, and the passengers will be evacuated to their home countries after tests to confirm they remain without symptoms, officials said.
Since the vessel departed Argentina last month, the deaths of three people have been linked to hantavirus -–– a rare disease typically caused by exposure to infected rodents’ urine or feces –– while others have been evacuated from the ship for medical treatment.