Ruptly
"The hantavirus-stricken MV Hondius cruise ship arrived at Tenerife in Spain's Canary Islands on Sunday morning for what local authorities have described as an 'unprecedented' maritime health evacuation. Footage shows the ship anchored near the Port of Granadilla in the municipality of Granadilla de Abona, where authorities begun the evacuation of nearly 150 people in an operation coordinated across 23 countries. The vessel had been held off Cape Verde after authorities refused to allow passengers to disembark. After days of talks with regional authorities in the Canary Islands, Spain allowed the ship to enter Granadilla under strict measures. Officials had initially opposed the docking over fears of public health risks. The outbreak at the cruise ship is believed to have begun after exposure during the ship's South America itinerary, before it left Ushuaia on April 1. Contact tracing has since expanded across several continents after some passengers left the ship in Saint Helena before the outbreak was confirmed. South African authorities traced contacts after a Dutch woman became seriously ill during travel and died after being taken off a flight in Johannesburg. Saint Helena officials said local contacts had been identified and given health guidance. The World Health Organisation has reported a total of eight cases (six confirmed and two probable), including three deaths. Hantavirus is typically linked to contact with infected rodent droppings. The Andes strain is one of the few known forms that allow rare human-to-human transmission, though health officials say the wider public risk remains low. "
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