Two Irish citizens, who were stranded onboard the Hantavirus-stricken MV Hondius cruise ship, departed from Tenerife and landed back in Ireland on the government jet last night
A ambulance leaving Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel, Dublin. Passengers have been repatriated to the Republic of Ireland from cruise ship MV Hondius, which was hit by hantavirus(Image: Niall Carson/PA Wire)
Two Irish citizens who were onboard the MV Hondius cruise ship, which suffered a Hantavirus outbreak, have returned home.
The Irish passengers had been stuck on the ship for the past few days, while crew and passengers waited for a suitable port to dock in.
The ship arrived in Tenerife yesterday morning and was allowed to dock there. Specialised medical teams evaluated the passengers and conducted health checks.
The two Irish people were flown back home to Ireland on the government jet, with the plane leaving and arriving at Baldonnel Aerodrome.
Two ambulances were seen leaving the airport just before 9.30pm last night.
The Department of Health said in a statement that the two passengers would be accompanied by HSE medics during their evacuation.
They added that the two individuals followed isolation protocols on the ship and were in “good health”.
It’s understood that they will not be taken to a HSE isolation facility, where they will quarantine for up to six weeks, following guidance.
“If they become symptomatic, they will be assessed and treated as appropriate,” the Department of Health said on Saturday.
“The return of passengers and crew from MV Hondius has been carefully planned and guided by public health authorities to ensure safety for everyone – these measures protect communities while respecting the dignity and well-being of those returning home.”
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said the ship’s evacuation, with the exception of 30 crew members remaining on board, should conclude by 7pm on Monday.
The WHO said the crew along with a nurse from the Netherlands and the body of a passenger who died on board will remain on the ship. The ship will then sail too Rotterdam in the Netherlands where it will undergo disinfection, the WHO said.
Speaking at a press conference in Tenerife, WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said this was “not another Covid and the risk to the public is low”.
They said on Saturday there had been six confirmed hantavirus cases linked to MV Hondius and four patients were in hospital.
It said that eight cases, including three deaths, had been reported – with one previous suspected case being reclassified after testing negative for hantavirus.
Want to see more of the stories you love from RSVP ? To add RSVP as a preferred source of news on Google, simply click here
