Global dread over the hantavirus continues to prevail, despite assurances that the risk to public health is low, at the time when the fateful cruise ship Hondius, where an outbreak of hantavirus was observed, is off Tenerife and docked at the industrial port of Granadilla so that an evacuation plan for the passengers can be implemented under safety measures.
Although experts argue that there is no reason for panic or fear of a "new pandemic" from the cases that have been recorded, global concern has nevertheless been triggered, as there is no vaccine or treatment for this specific virus.
Global interest is turned to the Dutch cruise ship where a hantavirus hotspot appeared and to the evacuation plan for the passengers, among whom is also a Greek national, as the World Health Organization (WHO) considers them "high-risk contacts" who must be monitored for 42 days.
Assurances from WHO
Indeed, amid reactions over the docking of the cruise ship with the 149 people from 23 countries, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, rushed to Spain, assuring that it will not tie up at the port, this is not a new COVID, nor will there be any contact with the passengers.
At the same time, he repeated that the risk to the general public remains "low".
"Your families will not meet them," he assured the residents of Tenerife.
However, he declared optimistic that the operation will be completed successfully, as "Spain is ready and prepared".
It is noted that the decision of WHO to request Spain's assistance was taken based on the International Health Regulations, which dictate that the nearest port with sufficient medical capacity must provide assistance in international public health emergencies.
Three dead
According to the latest report from WHO, eight cases linked to the cruise ship have been recorded, including the three who died (a Dutch couple and a German national). Six are confirmed.
It was confirmed by health authorities that among the positive cases, the Andes virus was identified, the only form of hantavirus that can be transmitted from human to human, a fact that caused global concern.
Safety measures for the passenger evacuation plan
At the port of Granadilla, white tents were set up along the pier, while the police had blocked off part of the area.
The cruise ship will not dock at the pier, but will remain off the port, so that the passengers can be checked and evacuated gradually until Monday 11/5.
The Spanish authorities assured that there will be no contact between the passengers and the local population and that the departures will take place "by nationality", with fully isolated transport routes.
Disembarkation of passengers and repatriations
The Spanish authorities are in full readiness at the port of Granadilla, as the plan for the disembarkation and repatriation of over 100 passengers will be implemented.
All passengers, as well as 17 crew members, will be evacuated, but 30 crew members will remain on the vessel and will travel to the Netherlands, as made known by the Minister of Health of Spain, Monica Garcia. The luggage and the body of a passenger will remain on the vessel, which will be disinfected in the Netherlands.
First to disembark will be the Spanish citizens, while the rest will disembark only when the evacuation plane is ready for departure, as announced.
The passengers will be transported in "sealed, guarded vehicles, through a fully blocked corridor" and will be repatriated directly to their countries of origin.
The World Health Organization (WHO) considers the passengers "high-risk contacts" and they will have to be monitored for 42 days.
"We classify all persons on board in what we call high-risk contacts," explained on social media Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO director responsible for epidemic and pandemic prevention and preparedness. She added that "active supervision and monitoring of all passengers and crew members who will disembark for a period of 42 days" is recommended.
Countries sending aircraft
Already, as became known during the previous 24 hours, aircraft are being sent by Germany, France, Belgium, Ireland, and the Netherlands to pick up their nationals who are on the cruise ship Hondius bound for Spain.
The European Union is sending two additional aircraft for the remaining European citizens, while the US and Britain have confirmed that the dispatch of aircraft has been arranged, as well as the drafting of contingency plans for non-European citizens whose countries are unable to send aircraft.
The British passengers
The 22 British passengers of the cruise ship Hondius will be transferred to a hospital near Liverpool, England, for an "isolation period", as made known to the French Press by the NHS, the British public health system.
Specifically, they will be transferred to Arrowe Park Hospital in Upton "to provide them with a safe place for their isolation period," local NHS officials stated in a letter they sent to their employees.
"We will welcome these individuals on Sunday May 10. Upon their arrival, symptom screening will take place and no individual presenting symptoms (of hantavirus) will be admitted," the letter states.
If any of these former passengers of the vessel falls ill after arrival, "they will be transferred quickly to another institution."
However, the regional health officials clarified that the stay of the passengers is expected to last "up to 72 hours" and afterwards it will be decided "whether they can continue their isolation period at their residence or elsewhere."
The route of the cruise ship
It is recalled that the cruise ship Hondius belongs to the Dutch cruise company Oceanwide Expeditions and departed from Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1.
The outbreak of hantavirus on the Dutch cruise ship caused international concern, as the incident is linked to the Andes virus, which constitutes the only one with documented, albeit rare, human-to-human transmission.
After departing from Argentina, during the journey passengers began to fall ill, resulting in three people losing their lives.
However, the hantavirus was spreading without being noticed by the passengers who traveled to various countries and their contacts are being traced.
www.bankingnews.gr
Σχόλια αναγνωστών