Brussels: Europe and the Arabs

Strict medical measures and a quarantine have been announced following tests to confirm cases of hantavirus infection on a cruise ship traveling between Argentina and Cape Verde. Three people have died, including a Dutch couple and a Briton. Six people are currently hospitalized.

The cruise ship, carrying approximately 150 passengers, docked in Tenerife on Sunday. The passengers disembarked there and were then flown home.

Two Belgians were on board and are currently asymptomatic. Upon arrival in Belgium, they will undergo medical examinations at the University Hospital of Tenerife (UZA) and will be monitored at home.

According to the Belgian newspaper Newsblad, the hantavirus outbreak primarily presents an opportunity, testing the extent to which lessons have been learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. “In Belgium, certainly so far.”

One of the five French women evacuated on Sunday from the Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship Hondus has tested positive for the virus, French Health Minister Stéphanie Rist announced. The woman had shown symptoms on the plane. According to the minister, her condition worsened last night, and she is now receiving treatment in a specialist hospital.

Rist also stated that there are 22 French contacts. These French citizens were on flights between St. Helena and Johannesburg, and between Johannesburg and Amsterdam. They are being asked to contact French health authorities. The repatriation of the two Belgian passengers who were on the cruise ship went smoothly, Dirk Rameckers, head of the Federal Public Health Agency, told Radio 1. The two passengers arrived at the University Hospital in Antwerp on Sunday evening. “They arrived without symptoms and were immediately examined.” This examination was conducted by infectious disease specialists, led by virologist Erika Vlieghe. During the examination, they were also tested. To rule out infection. "We are now awaiting the results. We may receive them this evening, or tomorrow at the latest." Currently, the two passengers are in good health. "They currently have no symptoms or other signs of infection," said Ramaekers. They are also under close observation by the Antwerp International Hospital (UZA) team.

The two Belgian passengers will receive further instructions today regarding the coming weeks. "According to World Health Organization guidelines, we are assuming a six-week quarantine," said Ramaekers. "But with each passing day without symptoms, the likelihood of the virus progressing decreases." This cannot be compared to COVID-19, which was easily transmitted from person to person. This virus is transmitted from person to person only through direct contact. Therefore, the risk of transmission to the population is very low. A 63-year-old Spanish Civil Guard officer died on Sunday while participating in a large-scale evacuation at the port of Granadilla de Abona, in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, to evacuate passengers from the cruise ship Hondios. Spanish media reported that the man died of a heart attack. According to initial reports, the officer suffered the heart attack near the command tent set up to coordinate the evacuation. The operation mobilized dozens of Civil Guard members, the National Police, the Military Emergency Unit, medical personnel, and port authorities, in one of the largest health and logistical operations carried out in the Canary Islands in recent years. The victim had nearly 30 years of experience in the police force. When he began feeling unwell on Sunday, he was with the Civil Guard team. The Civil Guard had operations in Granadilla de Abona, and Plans were made to organize the transfer of cruise ship passengers from the port area to Tenerife South Airport.

Meanwhile, a U.S. passenger on the MV Hondus cruise ship, where a Hantavirus outbreak has been confirmed, tested "slightly positive" for the virus, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Another passenger is experiencing mild symptoms.

Currently, seventeen U.S. passengers are being repatriated. According to the U.S. government, two of them were in strict quarantine during the voyage. One of them has already tested "slightly positive" for the Andean strain of Hantavirus, while the other is experiencing mild symptoms.

The passengers in question are now being taken to a hospital for further testing.

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced Sunday evening that the U.S. measures to combat Hantavirus carry "risks" because quarantine is not necessarily mandatory. However, the WHO recommends a 42-day quarantine period.

British and German passengers from the MV Hondus cruise ship also returned to Europe Sunday evening following the Hantavirus outbreak on board. The passengers will be monitored. Strict medical measures were implemented upon their arrival.

A plane carrying approximately 20 British passengers landed at Manchester Airport on Sunday evening. The passengers are being transferred to a hospital near Liverpool, where they will be quarantined for up to 72 hours and undergo medical examinations. According to the UK's National Health Service (NHS), any infected individuals will be immediately transferred to a specialist center.

Another evacuation flight arrived in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, on Sunday with 26 passengers of various nationalities on board. Four German passengers were subsequently transported by special transport to Frankfurt to ensure their isolation. From there, they will be distributed to their accommodations to undergo a new quarantine period under the supervision of local authorities.

According to the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a second flight is being organized for Monday to repatriate the remaining crew members of the ship to the Netherlands.