Ruptly
"Spain’s Health Minister Monica Garcia Gomez said on Wednesday that three symptomatic cases aboard the virus-hit MV Hondius have been evacuated, with the vessel anchored near Praia, Cape Verde. Speaking from Madrid, Garcia stressed that all symptomatic cases are now evacuated and will be sent to the Netherlands for treatment. “All passengers, as of today, and the crew are asymptomatic,” she said, adding that the ship’s doctor, a British national who had been in critical condition, has now stabilised. Garcia confirmed that the vessel is set to dock in Granadilla de Abona in the Canary Islands within days, despite the call by Regional President Fernando Clavijo for urgent talks with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez over the possible risks to the islands. “We're not going to engage in political controversy,” she said. "I repeat that this Government has already managed many crises and the priority must be, first of all, to manage this crisis." Garcia also outlined the next steps in the handling of the virus-hit vessel, passengers and crew. “The ship is expected to arrive within three days at the secondary port of Granadilla de Abona,” she explained, stressing it is 'a port with very little activity' that is 'located ten minutes from the southern airport of Tenerife'. She also noted that the "World Health Organisation considers that the Canary Islands and Spain meet the conditions for disembarking safely and also for health protection, not only minimising the risk for passengers and crew but also ensuring that we have the necessary conditions to protect public health against this infection.” "It will not pose any risk to the Canary population nor to their economic activity. Spain has all the capabilities to care for everyone, and we have all the capacity to maintain the protection of public health as we deserve," she added. Garcia said foreign passengers would be returned to their home countries through a European civil protection mechanism, while Spanish nationals would be transferred by military aircraft to the Gomez Ulla Military Hospital for evaluation and quarantine. The vessel has been at the centre of an international health alert since the Hantavirus outbreak was first reported. It has already claimed the lives of three passengers, a couple from the Netherlands and a German citizen, among the roughly 150 people from 23 nationalities onboard. The virus is typically linked to contact with infected rodent droppings, though rare human-to-human transmission is being assessed by the World Health Organisation. “This type of transmission is quite exceptional," noted Garcia. Severe Hantavirus cases can lead to respiratory failure or haemorrhagic fever."
Go to News Site