Hantavirus Ship Evacuated Off Tenerife Coast

The cruise ship MV Hondius, hit by a hantavirus outbreak, anchored near the Port of Granadilla in Tenerife on Sunday, May 10, 2026, for passenger and crew evacuation. Three deaths and six confirmed infections have been reported, with two suspected cases. Spanish health authorities are testing all passengers, who are considered high-risk contacts, to confirm they are asymptomatic before they are transported to the island's airport for onward travel. The evacuation began on Sunday morning, with Spanish nationals disembarking first. A total of 30 crew members will stay on board and sail the ship to the Netherlands for disinfection. The ship had departed from Cape Verde earlier in the week after the World Health Organization and the European Union requested the country manage the evacuation. The WHO has stated the risk to the global population is low, but moderate for those on the ship. Hantavirus is typically spread by rodents but can, in rare instances, transmit between people.