Justice has given the green light to the mandatory quarantine of passengers from the cruise ship MV Hondius, affected by a hantavirus outbreak. In a ruling made public this Saturday, the Instruction Section of the Madrid Court of First Instance has considered “appropriate” to ratify the health measures requested by the State Attorney's Office.
The court thus supports the actions of the health authorities, understanding that the decisions adopted are “urgent and necessary for public health” given the risk of virus spread.
An “adequate and necessary” measure
According to the ruling, and after analyzing the medical and forensic reports, the quarantine is “adequate, necessary, and suitable for controlling the disease and preventing its spread”.
The court further emphasizes that the measure is proportionate to the “grave, imminent, and extraordinary” risk that a possible mass contagion would entail, especially taking into account the characteristics of the virus and its incubation period.
It also highlights that the isolation period cannot be considered excessive, thus reinforcing the legality of the decision.
Transfer to Gómez Ulla Hospital
The passengers will be transferred to the Gómez Ulla Military Hospital in Madrid, where they will remain in quarantine upon their arrival from the port of Granadilla de Abona (Tenerife).
From the Ministry of Health they have assured that the measure is being developed without incidents and that none of the passengers have shown opposition to their internment.
An outbreak under sanitary control
The case of the MV Hondius has activated all sanitary protocols, with the objective of avoiding the spread of hantavirus, a rare but potentially serious disease.
With this judicial decision, the authorities reinforce the legal framework to apply isolation measures in situations of sanitary risk, prioritizing collective protection against possible contagions.