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Irish passengers return after hantavirus scare
Two Irish nationals evacuated from the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius landed in Dublin late Sunday, following a coordinated medical airlift from Tenerife.
The pair touched down at Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel shortly after 9 p.m. local time, escorted by two Health Service Executive (HSE) medics aboard an Air Corps aircraft. Both individuals are reported in stable condition and have adhered to isolation protocols throughout the journey, according to Ireland's Department of Health.
Quarantine protocols in place
Upon arrival, the passengers were transferred to an HSE facility for a mandatory isolation period, aligning with guidelines from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO recommends a 42-day quarantine for all cruise passengers, calculated from their last potential exposure to the virus.
The Department of Health emphasized that the repatriation was "meticulously planned under public health supervision to safeguard communities while upholding the dignity of those returning."
Global repatriation efforts
Twenty British nationals were also flown home from Tenerife earlier Sunday, joining evacuees from Spain, France, Belgium, Greece, Germany, Guatemala, Argentina, and Turkey. Spanish authorities confirmed the disembarkation process proceeded smoothly, with all passengers undergoing health assessments prior to departure.
Outbreak details and fatalities
The hantavirus outbreak aboard the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius has claimed three lives, including two confirmed cases of the virus. Passengers now face extended self-isolation upon returning home, given the disease's incubation period of up to nine weeks.
Earlier in the week, British military medics parachuted onto the remote Atlantic island of Tristan da Cunha to assist a UK national displaying hantavirus symptoms. The individual, a resident of the island, had disembarked from the cruise ship in mid-April and reported symptoms two weeks later. An RAF A400M aircraft delivered critical oxygen supplies to the island on Saturday after local reserves reached dangerously low levels, the UK Ministry of Defence reported.
Health authorities monitor situation
Public health agencies across Europe and the Americas continue to track the outbreak, with quarantine measures varying by country. The HSE has not disclosed the specific duration of the Irish passengers' isolation but confirmed adherence to international protocols.
