UK Prepares to Receive Cruise Ship Passengers

British health authorities will receive around two dozen passengers from the MV Hondius. They will isolate them in a hospital that previously handled Covid-19 cases. Officials confirmed this on Saturday.

Cruise Ship Nears Tenerife After Outbreak

The Dutch-flagged MV Hondius carries nearly 150 passengers and crew. It will anchor off Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands early Sunday. The ship has remained at sea for weeks after a hantavirus outbreak. The outbreak has already killed three people.

International Evacuation Plan in Motion

Authorities will evacuate most people on board. They will send them back to their home countries. European agencies and the World Health Organisation (WHO) will coordinate the operation.

British and Irish Nationals to Return

About 24 British passengers and crew members will return to the UK. Two Irish nationals will also return home. Officials said none of them show hantavirus symptoms.

Health Screening on Arrival

Health agencies will follow strict screening rules. A joint statement said, “In line with advice from the UK Health Security Agency, on arrival they will be taken to a managed setting for clinical assessment and testing,”

Doctors will observe the group for 72 hours. They will then decide if further isolation is needed.

Arrowe Park Hospital Set for Isolation

Authorities will take the UK group to Arrowe Park Hospital in Wirral. The hospital lies in northwestern England. It previously handled evacuees from Wuhan and the Diamond Princess cruise ship during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Deaths and Confirmed Infections on Board

Three passengers have died since the outbreak began. The victims include a Dutch couple and a German woman. Several others have fallen sick.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) confirmed six cases out of eight suspected infections. No suspected cases remain on the ship.

Ship Route and Arrival Time

The MV Hondius sailed from Cape Verde. Authorities earlier evacuated three infected passengers there. Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia Gomez said the ship will reach Tenerife between 0300 and 0500 GMT on Sunday.

Officials Say Public Risk Remains Low

Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Trust chief executive Janelle Holmes issued guidance. She said, “We will be welcoming the guests on Sunday 10 May 2026 and they will all be screened for symptoms before they arrive on-site; nobody showing any symptoms will be transferred here,”

She also said, “The risk to the general population remains very low and the public can be reassured that established infection control measures will be put in place at every step of the journey,”

Ireland Plans Separate Repatriation

Irish authorities will send a separate flight. They will bring back two Irish nationals from the ship. The broadcaster RTE reported this plan.