06-05-2026
National
Canarian Weekly
Photo Credit: La Provincia
The President of the Canary Islands has confirmed that a formal request has been submitted for the cruise ship affected by hantavirus to dock in the south of Tenerife this weekend.
Canary Islands President Fernando Clavijo said today (Wednesday) that the Port Authority of Santa Cruz has now received the official application from Brussels for the MV Hondius to dock at Granadilla Port.
The ship is scheduled to arrive on Saturday, 9th May, at the Port of Granadilla in the south of Tenerife.
What began as a health alert in Argentine waters has developed into a wider public health operation involving several countries. The vessel, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, has reported eight confirmed cases of hantavirus on board and three deaths.
According to regional authorities, the World Health Organization (WHO) invoked the International Health Regulations to ensure the ship could access what was deemed the “nearest suitable port”, citing limited medical resources in Cape Verde.
WHO Confirms Evacuations
In a statement, WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the evacuation was coordinated between the WHO, the cruise operator and national authorities in Cape Verde, the United Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands.
The WHO is continuing to monitor the health of both passengers and crew members on board, as well as those who have already disembarked. Health tracking and medical follow-up procedures are ongoing in cooperation with national authorities.
Quarantine and Screening Plans
Oceanwide Expeditions has confirmed it remains in discussions with authorities regarding quarantine protocols, passenger screening procedures and final arrival arrangements ahead of Saturday’s planned docking.
While the situation has understandably raised concern among residents and tourists, the WHO has stressed that the overall public health risk “remains low”.
Regional authorities are expected to provide further updates as the ship approaches the Canary Islands.
