Rat virus cruise ship to be 'inspected' when it arrives in Canary Islands as passengers set to 'completely isolate'
Authorities say the risk to the public is "very low" and that people will be taken to their "place of origin" after checks are completed.
The cruise ship gripped by a deadly hantavirus outbreak, which has killed three people, will be received by the Canary Islands where it will be fully inspected, Spanish chiefs have said.
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Authorities are in daily contact with medics on board the stricken MV Hondius, and say passengers will be "completely isolated from the public" after they evacuate the boat.
Three people have died so far, and a further five cases have been confirmed by the World Health Organisation, with a further three suspected.
The ship had been travelling from Ushuaia in Argentina to Cape Verde in Africa. It has become the centre of an international health scare since the weekend following the outbreak of the rat-borne disease.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Spain's general director of public health and equity, Pedro Gullon, said that the vessel will be inspected when it arrives in the Canary Islands.
Mr Gullon said: "We are in touch with doctors on board, so we get a daily update on everything that's happening on the boat.
"Once we know what's going on, if there are no new cases, we can proceed to take people to their place of origin."
He added: "The risk for the public is a very low risk, it's important to know this."
Spain's head of civil protection, Virginia Barcones, also told reporters about the plan once the ship arrives and passengers are evacuated.
"From the moment when we see that asymptomatic people are ready to be evacuated from our country, there will be a quick process," Ms Barcones said.
"They will not leave the boat until the plane is there to take them to their countries. Once they leave the boat, they will be taken by road.
"It's about a ten-minute drive."
She added: "Mechanisms are being put together, but they will be completely isolated from the public.
"They will be taken to an isolated fenced off place, they will be in isolated vehicles, they will reach an area of the airport that will be completely isolated.
"There is no possibility of contact."
Spanish Health Minister, Mónica García, also said on Thursday that she had a "productive meeting" with the president of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo Batlle, telling him about "the need to act".
A 70-year-old Dutch man died on April 11, and his body remained on board until April 24, when it was disembarked on St Helena. Some 23 other people disembarked at this point.
The man’s widow was taken ill on a flight from St Helena to South Africa, and she died on April 26 upon arrival at the emergency department of Johannesburg hospital.
Health officials are now trying to trace at least 69 passengers who were on board the same two flights as the Dutch woman before she died.
A Dutch KLM stewardess is believed to have come into contact with the woman and is being treated in hospital for mild symptoms.
Another passenger of German nationality died on board the ship, which is expected to reach Tenerife on Saturday, on May 2.
WHO chief Tedros Ghebreyesus told a separate press conference on Thursday: "So far, eight cases have been reported, including three deaths. Five of the eight cases have been confirmed as hantavirus, and the other three are suspected."
A British crew member who has been taken ill with the virus was evacuated to the Netherlands on Wednesday.
He was identified as former police officer Mike Anstee, 56, who is now an expedition guide on the MV Hondius, and is said to be doing "okay".