Concerning photo shows suspected hantavirus patient being evacuated from plagued cruise ship

A suspected hantavirus patient was evacuated from the MV Hondius cruise ship in a hazmat suit on a gurney on Wednesday as nearly 150 passengers and crew remained stuck aboard the vessel off the coast of West Africa.

Three people believed to be infected with the virus were evacuated from the Dutch-flagged luxury ship anchored near Cape Verde so they could receive medical treatment in the Netherlands, according to the World Health Organization. Two of the patients are reportedly seriously ill.

Dramatic images showed one patient dressed in full protective gear while being transferred from an ambulance to a waiting medical aircraft. Police officers in white hazmat suits were also seen stationed at the port in Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, while a red ambulance boat transported patients between the ship and shore.

Three patients evacuated for treatment

Officials said the evacuated patients include a 56-year-old British national, a 41-year-old Dutch national and a 65-year-old German national.

One of the patients is believed to be the ship’s doctor, who had previously been listed in “serious condition” before showing signs of improvement, according to Spain’s health ministry.

Passengers and crew members still aboard the MV Hondius are not showing symptoms at this time, officials said. The ship is now expected to continue sailing to Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands, where passengers will finally be allowed to disembark.

Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia said non-Spanish passengers will be immediately repatriated to their home countries after arrival and will not be required to quarantine in Spain.

Swiss passenger tests positive

The latest evacuations came as Swiss authorities confirmed that a former passenger from the cruise ship tested positive for hantavirus and is now receiving treatment at a university hospital in Zurich.

The passenger reportedly sought medical testing after cruise operator Oceanwide Expeditions emailed recent travelers warning them about the outbreak.

The 14 Spanish nationals still aboard the ship will reportedly be flown to a hospital in Madrid for quarantine once the vessel reaches Tenerife.

So far, three people have died in connection with the outbreak, including a Dutch couple and a German national. A British national had also previously been evacuated from the ship and remains in intensive care in South Africa.

WHO monitoring passengers and crew

Hantavirus is typically spread through inhalation of contaminated rodent droppings. While person-to-person transmission is possible, the WHO says such cases are considered rare.

“WHO continues to work with the ship’s operators to closely monitor the health of passengers and crew, working with countries to support appropriate medical follow-up and evacuation where needed,” WHO director general Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, per ABC7 Chicago.

“Monitoring and follow-up for passengers on board and for those who have already disembarked has been initiated in collaboration with the ship’s operators and national health authorities.”

Featured image credit: Michael Dunning / Getty