Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship: EU Coordinates International Support for Evacuation and Response

(Central News Agency reporter Wu Bo-wei, Brussels, 11th exclusive report) Following a Hantavirus outbreak on the luxury cruise ship 'MV Hondius,' the European Commission today announced that it is coordinating with various countries to respond to the outbreak, support the cruise ship's evacuation operations, and provide medical assistance. At the same time, after evaluation, the virus poses an extremely low risk to the general public in Europe.

Passengers on the MV Hondius have been successively evacuated recently. The European Commission today issued a press release stating that five flights coordinated by the EU successfully departed on the 10th, operated by France, Spain, the Netherlands, Greece, and Ireland, respectively. The sixth and final flight departed on the 11th, operated by the Netherlands.

The European Commission pointed out that the Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) has dispatched a liaison officer to Tenerife to assist relevant departments with local coordination efforts. Before passengers disembarked, two experts from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) were also sent on board to provide support.

The European Commission stated that it is fully supporting the medical response to the Hantavirus, working closely with Spain, member states, participating countries of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, the ERCC, the World Health Organization (WHO), and G7 partners to promote a joint European response.

The EU Health Security Committee (HSC) is bringing together national health authorities to assist in unifying measures for safe passenger disembarkation, evacuation, and subsequent follow-up. Relevant units share the latest information, adjust action plans, and track potential cases through daily coordination meetings to ensure a consistent European response.

The European Commission emphasized that, according to the current assessment by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, given that appropriate infection prevention and control measures have been implemented and Hantavirus is not easily transmitted between people, the virus poses an extremely low risk to the general public in Europe.

The European Commission reiterated that its primary task is to protect citizens, support affected individuals, and assist member states in taking joint action swiftly based on the latest evidence. (Editor: Chang Chih-hsuan) 1150512

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