29 passengers of the cruise ship Hondius, where three people died from hantavirus, will be sent on a charter flight to Eindhoven Airport. Among those being evacuated are citizens of the Netherlands and other countries.
This was reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, reports NOS.
The Dutch cruise ship is expected to arrive at the Spanish island of Tenerife early in the morning. Passengers and some crew members will be brought ashore in small boats, after which they will be taken to the airport by buses.
The plane chartered by the Netherlands will arrive in the Canary Islands today. Tomorrow, this flight will depart for Eindhoven.
Measures on board
"All necessary precautions will be taken to ensure the safety and health of passengers, crew members, and accompanying personnel during the entire medical evacuation," the ministry's statement said.
Dutch passengers and crew members who do not have symptoms of the disease are advised to undergo home quarantine, as recommended by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment of the Netherlands (RIVM). This will last for six weeks from the last potentially dangerous contact.
According to RIVM, there is no reason to believe that the virus outbreak on board the Hondius could lead to a pandemic similar to that of the coronavirus. This is because the likelihood of human-to-human transmission of the virus is extremely low. Infection is only possible with close and prolonged contact. The coronavirus, specialists note, was significantly more contagious.
Upon arrival, passengers will undergo medical monitoring and quarantine measures. Authorities emphasize that the risk of widespread infection remains low; however, the situation on board the liner continues to be monitored by medical and sanitary services.
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