Tenerife: The US government has initiated the repatriation of 17 American nationals from the MV Hondius cruise ship following an outbreak of hantavirus. The Department of Health and Human Services announced the operation as the vessel arrived in Tenerife, part of Spain's Canary Islands. A State Department-chartered flight facilitated the return of these individuals on Sunday.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) played a key role in coordinating the evacuation. Among the repatriated passengers, two required special attention. One traveler was exhibiting mild symptoms, and another had tested positive for the virus; both were accommodated in biocontainment units during the flight. Upon reaching the United States, the passengers will initially be taken to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska. The symptomatic individual is expected to be transferred to an additional specialized treatment center for further care.

The health service emphasized that on arrival at each facility, all individuals will undergo a clinical assessment to determine the appropriate care and support based on their condition. The CDC has categorized the situation as a Level 3 emergency response, which is the agency's lowest level of emergency activation.

The outbreak on the MV Hondius, identified as the Andes strain of hantavirus, has been linked to five confirmed cases, resulting in three fatalities, as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO). Scientists have identified the Andes variant as unique due to its ability to transmit between humans, typically through close contact. The WHO noted that two of the passengers who succumbed to the virus had traveled through Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay prior to boarding the cruise ship.

CDC officials have indicated that passengers will be under surveillance for approximately six weeks, corresponding to the incubation period of the virus. Health authorities across multiple US states are also monitoring travelers who disembarked from the vessel before the outbreak was officially recognized.