WHO Chief recommends 42-day quarantine for MV Hondius ship evacuees

GENEVA, May 11. /TASS/. Passengers evacuated from the MV Hondius cruise ship, which experienced an outbreak of the Andes hantavirus, are recommended undergoing a 42-day quarantine, according to World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. "Our advice is clear, starting from May 10, 42 days (of quarantine) with active follow-up," the official said at a briefing following the first day of the evacuation of passengers from the MV Hondius, which moored in the Canary Islands. Ghebreyesus noted that the WHO provides, but does not impose, its recommendations on member countries. The cruise liner with about 150 passengers, mostly US, British, Spanish, and Dutch nationals, sailed off from Argentina’s Ushuaia three weeks ago and was heading to the Canary Islands. The ship made several stopovers near islands in the Atlantic Ocean. Hantaviruses are a family of viruses which can cause serious, even fatal illnesses, such as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). People can catch hantavirus from contact with rodents, especially when exposed to their urine, droppings, and saliva.