Spain is relaxing quarantine rules for hantavirus contacts linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship. Asymptomatic individuals with negative PCR tests can now serve the final 14 days of their 42-day quarantine at home, provided they meet strict isolation conditions and undergo daily health checks.
The Public Health Commission approved the new protocol for monitoring the outbreak, which has hospitalized 14 passengers at Gómez Ulla Hospital. One case is confirmed positive, and two women in Alicante and Barcelona who shared a flight with a deceased individual are also under watch.
For the 15 identified contacts, the first 28 days of quarantine must be in the hospital. Transfer home will use standard medical transport, with both driver and contact wearing FFP2 masks and practicing strict hand hygiene.
The World Health Organization confirmed a 12th hantavirus case on Friday: a crew member who disembarked in Tenerife and was repatriated to the Netherlands. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated no new deaths have been recorded in 20 days. The death toll remains at three, all occurring before May 2.
Tedros urged affected countries to continue monitoring all passengers for the remainder of quarantine. Over 600 possible contacts across 30 countries are being tracked, though a small number of high-risk contacts remain untraced.