MADRID — Spanish health authorities have authorized the cruise ship MV Hondius to sail to the Canary Islands for emergency medical intervention following a Hantavirus outbreak that has left three passengers dead. The vessel, carrying 149 passengers and crew from 23 nations, is expected to dock at either Gran Canaria or Tenerife within days after Cape Verde declined to receive the ship, citing insufficient medical infrastructure.

The fatalities include a Dutch couple and a German national, while the World Health Organization (WHO) has identified seven total cases, including two confirmed and five suspected infections. Two crew members, including the ship’s medical officer, are currently being evacuated via specialized hospital aircraft for urgent care. A British national who tested positive during the voyage remains under treatment in South Africa.

Epidemiologists believe the outbreak may involve the Andes strain of Hantavirus, which is capable of rare human-to-human transmission in confined environments. The WHO indicated that while initial exposure likely occurred during wildlife excursions or prior to boarding the Antarctic expedition in Argentina, the virus may have spread among individuals in shared cabins.

Spanish officials confirmed that all passengers and crew will be subject to strict containment and medical screening protocols upon arrival. The Health Ministry stated that once stabilized, all individuals will be repatriated to their home countries in coordination with international health agencies.