Spain agrees to receive hantavirus-hit cruise ship in Canary Islands following WHO request

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Spain has agreed to receive a cruise ship affected by a hantavirus outbreak, following a request from the World Health Organization. The ship had been denied docking by Cape Verdean authorities due to the outbreak that has unfortunately resulted in fatalities.

The Spanish government on Tuesday night authorised the docking in the Canary Islands of the polar cruise ship MV Hondius, on which a hantavirus outbreak has already left three people dead, after Cape Verdean authorities denied it entry to their ports and following a formal request from the World Health Organization (WHO) that invoked Spain's "moral and legal obligation" to assist the 147 passengers and crew on board, including 14 Spanish citizens.