Port workers and residents on Tenerife have raised the alarm over the imminent arrival of the MV Hondius, warning the hantavirus outbreak on board could spark a public health crisis reminiscent of Covid.
The vessel has already been linked to three deaths from the disease – colloquially known as the “rat virus” – after being stranded off Cape Verde before Spain cleared it to proceed to the Canary Islands. Of the 146 people still aboard, 23 hold British nationality – 22 travelling as passengers and one as a crew member.
Three people have been airlifted from the vessel for treatment, among them 56-year-old former police officer Martin Anstee, who holds British nationality.
Why are Tenerife locals worried about the MV Hondius docking?
Port workers’ union representative Joana Batista said her colleagues had been left in the dark about the ship’s arrival and were deeply anxious about the implications.
She said: “All they need is information. If they have to use PPE, what the requirements are, what safety measures are in place, with that information, the whole operation can go smoothly, but we don’t have it. Everyone is worried because they have family at home, and the last thing they want is for the virus to spread further.”
Covid 2.0 fears
Batista said workers were “willing to help” but warned that without clarity on safety protocols, fears of “a Covid 2.0″ were spreading among her members.
Local residents have also called on the government to refuse the vessel entry. One told the BBC: “I think the most sensible thing would be for them to worry about us and not allow that ship into the Canary Islands. It should stay where it is… or they should take it to mainland Spain or to Africa.”
Fernando Clavijo, President of the Canary Islands, has been vocal in his opposition to the docking decision, arguing the arrival posed an unacceptable risk to the local population.
The fears tap into a deep collective memory – the islands were among Europe’s earliest Covid quarantine zones, an episode that saw over 700 tourists confined to Tenerife hotels for a fortnight in February 2020.
What does the WHO say about the hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius?
Passengers have been required to wear masks, but WHO officials have sought to reassure the public that the outbreak does not warrant mass quarantine measures.
Infectious disease epidemiologist Maria van Kerkhove said at a press briefing on Thursday: “This is not Covid, this is not influenza, it spreads very, very differently.”
WHO Director General Tedros Ghebreyesus confirmed the public health risk remained “low.” He added that the two laboratory-confirmed cases could be traced back to birdwatching excursions in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, at locations known to harbour “the species of rat known to carry the virus.”