French evacuee from virus-hit cruise ship shows symptoms

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu confirmed on Sunday that one of five French nationals evacuated from the MV Hondius expedition cruise ship developed symptoms of hantavirus during the repatriation flight to Paris. The infected passenger was immediately placed in strict isolation alongside the other four evacuees upon arrival, according to French health authorities.

The five passengers are currently undergoing medical examinations and comprehensive testing, Lecornu said, adding that France would introduce isolation measures for contacts "to protect the general population." The case emerged as international evacuation operations continued off Spain's Canary Islands, where the Dutch-flagged vessel arrived Sunday morning following an outbreak that killed three people and infected several others.

International evacuation proceeds

World Health Organization pandemic preparedness chief Maria Van Kerkhove announced that evacuation efforts would resume Monday morning and conclude by 7 pm local time. Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia reported that 94 people of 19 nationalities — including Dutch, Canadian, and Turkish nationals — had been evacuated from the vessel during the first day of operations, though she had earlier stated all passengers and crew were asymptomatic upon arrival.

The first group to disembark comprised 14 Spanish nationals, who were transported by military aircraft to Madrid for quarantine and testing at a military hospital. Approximately 30 crew members will remain aboard the ship to sail it back to the Netherlands in the coming days, where the vessel will undergo thorough disinfection upon arrival.

Regional concerns over outbreak

The evacuation operations proceeded amid objections from Fernando Clavijo, president of the Canary Islands regional government, who raised concerns about the operation's safety. Spanish officials dismissed fears that infected rodents could reach shore from the ship, stating the possibility of an Andean rodent swimming to the Canary coast was "zero."

Hantavirus is a rare disease typically transmitted through infected rodents or their droppings, though health authorities noted the strain responsible for this outbreak can also spread between humans. The virus has claimed three lives aboard the cruise ship since the outbreak began.