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A spokesperson for the federal government announced that consular officers from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in both Tenerife and Canberra have been working closely together to manage the situation. Their efforts are part of a coordinated response involving both Commonwealth and state authorities to arrange health and transport logistics.
“The top priority for the Australian government is ensuring the safety of passengers as well as the general Australian public,” the spokesperson emphasized.
To facilitate the secure return of those aboard the MV Hondius, the Australian government is organizing the repatriation of four Australian citizens and one permanent resident from Tenerife.
Additionally, a New Zealand citizen is set to travel on the flight supported by the Australian government.
On Sunday morning, local time (Sunday night AEST), passengers started to disembark from the MV Hondius after the vessel was finally able to anchor—though it couldn’t dock—near the Spanish-controlled Canary Islands.
Nobody among the more than 140 people on the virus-stricken Dutch-operated cruise was showing symptoms of the virus, Spanish authorities, the World Health Organization and cruise company Oceanwide Expeditions said.
Three people have died since the outbreak, and five passengers who left the ship are infected with hantavirus, which can cause life-threatening illness.
Hantavirus usually spreads when people inhale contaminated residue of rodent droppings and isn’t easily transmitted between people. But the Andes virus detected in the cruise ship outbreak may be able to spread between people in rare cases. Symptoms usually show between one and eight weeks after exposure.
Everyone disembarking will be checked for symptoms, and are being taken off the ship only once evacuation flights are ready to fly them to their destinations.
“The entire operation is proceeding normally,” Spanish Health Minister Mónica García said on Monday.
Authorities are aiming to complete the evacuation flights for people of more than 20 different nationalities on Sunday and Monday.
It’s understood the Australian flight – the last to fly out – will leave about 5pm on Monday (2am Tuesday AEST) bound for Perth, carrying medical personnel who’ll monitor the passengers.
While quarantine arrangements are still being worked out, it’s believed the returning passengers live in NSW and Queensland.
“Quarantine and health arrangements are managed by states in accordance with their public health requirements,” the federal government spokesperson said.
Passengers and crew members disembarking are leaving behind their luggage, and are allowed to take only a small bag with essential items, a cell phone, charger and documentation.
Everyone disembarking will be checked for symptoms and won’t be taken off the ship until a flight is already in Tenerife waiting for them.
After setting foot on the ground, the passengers would be taken in sealed-off buses to the Spanish island’s main airport about 10 minutes away, to board planes heading to their respective countries.
Europe’s public health agency said late on Saturday all passengers were considered high-risk contacts as a precautionary measure.
Some crew, as well as the body of a passenger who died on board, will remain on the ship, which will sail on to Rotterdam, Netherlands where it will undergo disinfection, Spanish authorities said.
The Spanish nationals on board will be transferred to a medical facility and quarantined, authorities said. Oceanwide said 13 Spanish passengers and one crew would be the only ones allowed to quarantine in Spain.
The Australian government didn’t say how long the passengers would be quarantined for. France’s Foreign Ministry said five French passengers would be in hospital for 72 hours for monitoring before quarantining at home for 45 days.
WHO reassures Canary Islands locals
Earlier, Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia and WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus looked to reassure the community on the Canary Islands that there would be no outbreak on land.
“I know you are worried. I know that when you hear the word ‘outbreak’ and watch a ship sail toward your shores, memories surface that none of us have fully put to rest. The pain of 2020 is still real, and I do not dismiss it for a single moment,” Ghebreyesus said during a news conference in Madrid.
“But I need you to hear me clearly: This is not another COVID. The current public health risk from hantavirus remains low. My colleagues and I have said this unequivocally, and I will say it again to you now.”
Garcia said passengers and some crew would disembark in Tenerife “under maximum safety conditions”.
Operation could be delayed as residents express concern
There were earlier concerns the operation to let passengers leave the stricken ship could be delayed, with Canary Islands President Fernando Clavijo claiming some of the repatriation flights that were to take passengers back to their home countries had not arrived on time.
In an impromptu press conference, he claimed he was looking to cancel the operation due to the health risks it would pose to his community.
He is not the only one who is concerned.
Some on Tenerife say they are worried. On board the cruise ship, some Spanish passengers have voiced concern about being stigmatised.
“I tell you, I don’t like this very much,” 69-year-old resident Simon Vidal said.
“Anyone can say what they want. Why did they have to bring a boat from another country here? Why not anywhere else, why bring it to the Canary Islands?”
Others said they empathised with the boat’s passengers, but were still concerned.
“The truth is that it is very worrying,” 27-year-old Venezuelan immigrant Samantha Aguero said.
“We feel a bit unsafe, we don’t feel as there are 100 per cent security measures in place to welcome it.
“This is a virus after all and we have lived this during the pandemic. But we also need to have empathy.”
Reported with Associated Press.
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