A political disagreement has developed regarding the proposed arrival of the expedition vessel MV Hondius at the Canary Islands following a hantavirus outbreak during its Atlantic passage.
Regional authorities in the Canary Islands, led by Fernando Clavijo, indicated opposition to the vessel’s planned call, citing a lack of formal information and requesting urgent consultation with the Spanish central government. This position diverged from that of the administration of Pedro Sánchez, which confirmed its willingness to receive the ship at Tenerife on humanitarian and logistical grounds.
The vessel remains off Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, where local authorities had declined disembarkation. Medical teams have boarded the ship, and evacuation procedures for affected individuals are underway prior to any onward transit.
The outbreak has resulted in three fatalities and multiple suspected infections among passengers and crew. Health authorities, including the World Health Organization, have indicated that while limited human-to-human transmission may have occurred in close-contact settings, the broader public health risk remains low.
Further complexity has been added by the identification of an additional confirmed case ashore in Switzerland, linked to a former passenger. Meanwhile, Spain has maintained that the Canary Islands represent the nearest location with sufficient medical infrastructure to manage the situation, particularly after Cape Verde declined to accept the vessel.
The situation continues to evolve as international health authorities, national governments and the vessel’s operator coordinate medical evacuations, epidemiological assessment and the eventual disembarkation of those remaining on board.