It has been reported that passengers aboard the “MV Hondius”—a ship where hantavirus cases were detected—which is anchored at the Port of Granadilla de Abona in Tenerife, in the Canary Islands in southeastern Spain, have begun to be sent back to their home countries.

It has been announced that the evacuation of approximately 150 passengers and crew members from 23 different countries aboard the Dutch-flagged ‘MV Hondius’—where hantavirus cases were detected—which is anchored at the Port of Granadilla de Abona in Tenerife, in the Canary Islands in southeastern Spain, is ongoing. Authorities stated that the first group to disembark, which began at 9:30 a.m. local time, included 14 Spanish passengers and an epidemiologist working for the World Health Organization (WHO) who had boarded the ship in Cape Verde.

The Ministry of Health announced that following the first group, French (5) and Canadian (4) passengers on the ship were also flown back to their home countries. Ministry officials noted that flights carrying Dutch (11), Turkish (3), British (23), Irish (2), and U.S. (17) passengers would also depart from Tenerife Airport by this evening to return to their respective countries.