Spanish maritime authorities recommended the docking of the virus-hit Dutch cruise ship in the port of Granadilla, Canary Islands, Monday evening due to bad weather.
The ship was bound for the Netherlands, where the repatriation of the 28 passengers is expected to be completed.
The decision to dock again was taken after more than an hour of manoeuvres following strong gusts of wind recorded in the area, which began as the maritime evacuation operation got underway.
Officials said the storm was constantly turning the MV Hondius vessel, and attempts to keep it stable proved unsuccessful.
Mónica García defends decision on safety grounds
The minister of health, Mónica García, confirmed the temporary docking of the ship and assured that the measure was adopted following the recommendations of the Capitanía Marítima.
“For meteorological reasons and following the recommendation of the Capitanía Marítima, the MV Hondius has been temporarily moored in the Port of Granadilla. The strong wind and waves made it safer for the passengers to disembark and for the evacuation teams to work,” she said.On Monday evening, one of the 14 Spaniards evacuated from the MV Hondius cruise ship tested provisionally positive for hantavirus at the Gomez Ulla hospital in Madrid.
The patient remains isolated and symptom-free, while the rest remain in quarantine after testing negative.
In addition, the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned on Monday that new cases of hantavirus could be detected in the coming days or weeks due to the long incubation period of the disease.
“We may see cases in the next few days or next week, so we need to be vigilant,” said Olivier Le Polain, head of the WHO’s epidemiology unit. He explained that the incubation period can be up to six weeks, although the average is around three weeks.
Sánchez and Tedros to appear at Moncloa on Tuesday
The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, and the Director General of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, will meet this Tuesday at the Moncloa Palace to analyse the management of the health crisis caused by hantavirus.
The meeting will take place at 9:30 am, after the disembarkation of the passengers from the Dutch cruise ship. After the meeting, the two men will hold a joint press conference at 10:00.
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