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Hantavirus cruise passengers evacuated as countries impose quarantine measures
May 11, 2026
Posted 1 hour ago by
Passengers from the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius are finally returning home after weeks stranded on board the luxury expedition vessel. In the first round of evacuations from the Canary Islands, 94 people from 16 nationalities were repatriated, though some may carry the rare respiratory virus spread through contact with rat droppings. The World Health Organisation recommends a 42-day quarantine for anyone exposed, but quarantine protocols vary by country, ranging from 45 days in Greece to just 72 hours in the UK.
Despite precautions, specialists stress the risk of wider transmission is extremely low, unlike COVID-19, and authorities say the outbreak is under control. Al Jazeera's Imogen Kimber reports. Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe Follow us on X: https://X.com/AJEnglish Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/ Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/ Download AJE Mobile App: https://aje.news/AJEMobile #Spain #WorldHealthOrganization #Hantavirus #MVHondius #UnitedKingdom #UnitedStates #CanaryIslands #Tenerife #HantavirusHitCruiseShip #MVHondiusEvacuation #HantavirusQuarantine
Al Jazeera English
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