The health operation organized after the hantavirus outbreak detected on the cruise ship MV Hondius suffered an incident during the transfer of two of the evacuated passengers from the ship. The medicalized plane transporting the passengers had to stop in Gran Canaria due to a malfunction detected in one of the isolation pods used during the flight.
The information has been advanced by Cadena SER, which assures that the problem affected one of the so-called isolation "bubbles" installed inside the medicalized plane. According to this outlet, the failure occurred in the electrical system that provided life support to the capsule used for the sanitary transfer of one of the patients.
They also add that the plane made a stop in Gran Canaria to try to resolve the technical incident and subsequently continue the planned journey. This happened after Morocco did not authorize the entry of the plane into its airspace to carry out the repair in that country, so the operation had to be reorganized from the Canary Islands.
The health operation for the hantavirus outbreak
The incident occurred during a full health operation organized after the hantavirus outbreak detected on the cruise ship MV Hondius, a ship that was sailing from South America and is heading towards the Canary Islands with several affected passengers and others under medical observation.
The case has activated a broad operation coordinated by the Ministry of Health, European bodies, and international authorities. The operation includes medical checks, quarantines, and repatriations for the ship's passengers.
Spanish authorities expect the cruise ship to arrive at the port of Granadilla de Abona, in Tenerife, where a specific health device has been prepared for the disembarkation of passengers. Travelers will undergo medical checks before being transferred or repatriated.
According to the information disseminated by health authorities and various media outlets, Spanish passengers will be transferred to the Gómez Ulla military hospital, in Madrid, where they will remain in quarantine under medical supervision. In the case of foreign travelers, coordination will be carried out with their respective governments and European organizations.
The outbreak has generated international concern over the possible transmission between people of the so-called Andes strain of hantavirus. According to health organizations and experts cited by various international media, this type of contagion between humans is infrequent, although it can occur under certain circumstances.
Health authorities maintain the epidemiological investigation open to determine the exact origin of the infections and the scope of the outbreak detected on the ship. The World Health Organization continues to monitor the situation along with the health services involved.
Hantavirus is a group of viruses transmitted mainly by infected rodents. Contagion usually occurs by inhaling particles from the saliva, urine, or excrement of these animals. Some variants can cause severe respiratory conditions.
Among the symptoms described by health organizations are fever, muscle pain, tiredness, dry cough, headache, and difficulty breathing. The most severe cases can lead to pulmonary complications.
The Ministry of Health has defended that the risk to the general population is "extremely low" and maintains that the outbreak is limited to the cruise ship environment and passengers undergoing health monitoring. The authorities maintain specific protocols to avoid contacts outside the medical operation organized in the Canary Islands and Madrid.