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Tag: Tenerife

  • British Army Parachutes Into Remote Tristan da Cunha to Aid Briton With Suspected Hantavirus

    British Army Parachutes Into Remote Tristan da Cunha to Aid Briton With Suspected Hantavirus

    British military medics have parachuted onto the remote South Atlantic island of Tristan da Cunha to assist a British national with suspected hantavirus linked to an outbreak aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius.

    The British man, who lives on the island, disembarked from the vessel in mid-April before later developing symptoms associated with the virus. According to the World Health Organization, he reported diarrhoea on April 28 and developed a fever two days later. He is currently in stable condition and isolating.

    The outbreak aboard the MV Hondius has now resulted in six confirmed hantavirus cases and three deaths, including two people confirmed to have contracted the virus.

    Hantavirus is carried primarily by rodents. Most strains do not spread between people, but health officials say the Andes strain identified in several passengers from the cruise ship can transmit from person to person.

    In response to the medical emergency, a team from the British Army and Royal Air Force launched a rare humanitarian operation to support the isolated island community.

    Six paratroopers and two medical clinicians from 16 Air Assault Brigade parachuted onto Tristan da Cunha after flying from RAF Brize Norton aboard an RAF A400M aircraft.

    Two of the soldiers completed tandem jumps alongside an intensive care doctor and nurse to reinforce the island’s small medical team, which normally consists of only two healthcare workers.

    The UK Ministry of Defence said the operation marked the first time British military personnel have parachuted medical specialists into a humanitarian mission.

    Additional oxygen supplies were also air-dropped after stocks on the island reportedly reached critical levels.

    UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper praised the mission, calling it an example of Britain’s commitment to protecting citizens and overseas territories during emergencies.

    Minister for the Armed Forces Al Carns commended the troops for operating in difficult conditions, noting that Tristan da Cunha experiences strong winds and has no airport, making access extremely challenging.

    The remote volcanic archipelago, home to just 221 residents, is considered one of the world’s most isolated inhabited places and can only be reached by sea.

    Meanwhile, the MV Hondius has arrived in Tenerife, where more than 100 passengers are being assisted with repatriation efforts.

    Two British nationals with confirmed hantavirus infections are currently receiving treatment in the Netherlands and South Africa.

    UK health officials said no additional British passengers remaining aboard the ship have reported symptoms, although monitoring continues.

    Another two Britons who left the vessel earlier on Saint Helena are voluntarily isolating at home in the UK.

    The remaining 22 British passengers are expected to return to Britain on a charter flight and will isolate for 45 days at Arrowe Park Hospital under supervision from the UK Health Security Agency.

    Officials said the risk to the wider public remains very low.

  • WHO Chief Reassures Tenerife Residents as Hantavirus Cruise Ship Nears Canary Islands

    WHO Chief Reassures Tenerife Residents as Hantavirus Cruise Ship Nears Canary Islands

    Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has appealed for calm among residents of Tenerife as a cruise ship linked to a hantavirus outbreak prepares to anchor offshore on Sunday.

    The vessel, the MV Hondius, has been at the center of growing concern after eight confirmed hantavirus cases and three deaths were connected to the outbreak onboard, according to the World Health Organization.

    Local protests intensified over the weekend as residents voiced fears that the arrival of passengers from the ship could damage Tenerife’s tourism-dependent economy and potentially spread the virus. Demonstrators gathered in the streets chanting, “Yes to tourism, no to the virus.”

    Despite the concerns, Tedros insisted the risk to the local population remains low.

    “The risk to you, living your daily life in Tenerife, is low,” the WHO chief said Saturday, emphasizing that the assessment was made under strict international health protocols.

    Tedros explained that nearly 150 passengers and crew from 23 countries have remained stranded at sea for weeks, with many eager to return home after the outbreak.

    Spanish authorities approved the ship’s arrival after the national government overruled objections from some local leaders. Tenerife was selected because of its medical infrastructure and ability to safely coordinate the operation, according to WHO officials.

    The ship is expected to anchor offshore near the port of Granadilla early Sunday. Most passengers and crew members will reportedly be transported ashore in small boats before being transferred directly to waiting repatriation flights using sealed and guarded vehicles.

    Tedros sought to reassure residents that the operation would be tightly controlled.

    “You will not encounter them,” he said. “Your families will not encounter them.”

    Tedros also announced plans to personally travel to Tenerife to observe the repatriation process and support medical teams and port officials handling the operation.

    Maria Van Kerkhove told reporters that health screenings are continuing onboard the ship and that no passengers or crew are currently showing symptoms. Contact tracing efforts are also underway to identify those potentially exposed to confirmed cases.

    Several countries, including the United States, Germany, France, Belgium, Ireland and Netherlands, have dispatched aircraft to evacuate their citizens from Tenerife.

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also deployed personnel to Tenerife to assist with the evacuation of 17 American passengers. They are expected to be transported to a quarantine facility in Nebraska previously used during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    WHO officials said all passengers and crew are expected to undergo active monitoring for 42 days following their last known exposure to a confirmed case.