23 دولة في حالة تأهب.. أوروبا تعزل السفينة الموبوءة بفيروس هانتا

The European authorities, in coordination with the World Health Organization, have launched one of the largest international health emergency operations to combat the outbreak of the Hanta virus (Andes strain) aboard the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius.

According to Spanish authorities, 23 countries are participating in the coordination operation, in addition to the European civil protection mechanism, aiming to prevent the limited outbreak from turning into a cross-border health crisis.

So far, three deaths have been recorded aboard the ship, while symptoms have appeared in five other cases, amid strict health monitoring of all passengers and crew, approximately 150 people from 23 different nationalities.

The Spanish Ministry of Health confirmed that no passenger will be allowed to disembark freely onto Spanish territory, and that all passengers will be screened upon the ship's arrival, and transported directly by isolated buses under security escort to the airport for repatriation to their home countries via designated flights.

The 14 Spanish passengers will be taken directly to Gómez Ulla Military Hospital in Madrid to impose quarantine on them.

According to the details of the security and health plan, there is direct coordination with the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and other countries, and nearly continuous follow-up meetings between governments and international organizations, along with a complete isolation of the ship and strict security and health cordon around the evacuation operation.

The Hanta virus, especially the Andes strain, is typically transmitted through rodents (urine, feces, saliva), and the Andes strain is characterized by its rare ability to transmit from person to person in cases of direct and prolonged contact, causing hemorrhagic fever with pulmonary syndrome, with mortality rates in some cases reaching 30-40%.

The journey began from Ushuaia in Argentina at the beginning of last April, where it is believed that the initial infection occurred on land before boarding the ship.

The crisis has sparked political tension within Spain, as the Canary Islands government initially opposed receiving the ship, before agreeing after Madrid guaranteed the implementation of strict isolation measures.

For its part, the World Health Organization confirmed that the risk of global spread remains low, emphasizing that human-to-human transmission of the virus is very rare; however, Europe has declared a maximum alert to avoid any scenario similar to the COVID-19 pandemic.