German passengers from hantavirus-hit Hondius head to Frankfurt

Four German passengers evacuated to the Netherlands from the hantavirus-hit cruise ship Hondius are on their way to Frankfurt.

Several ambulances left the military section of Eindhoven Airport late on Sunday heading for Germany. Emergency crews from the fire services in Essen and Frankfurt were called in for the transport, while another ambulance came from Dortmund.

The passengers are being taken to Frankfurt in a special isolation transport. From there, they are to be brought to their respective German states for quarantine, with local health authorities in charge of the measures.

A plane from the Canary Island of Tenerife landed in Eindhoven earlier carrying 26 passengers and crew members from the Hondius.

Alongside the four Germans and Dutch nationals, Belgian and Greek nationals were also on board. All were asymptomatic before departure, according to the Spanish Health Ministry.

Specialists were waiting at Eindhoven Airport to medically examine the evacuees. Dutch passengers were then taken home, where they must spend six weeks in home quarantine.

One of the German passengers is later to be taken to Berlin’s Charité hospital. According to Berlin’s health authorities, the person has so far shown no symptoms.

A German contact person from the Hondius who has no symptoms is to go into home quarantine in the south-western state of Baden-Württemberg, the state’s Social Affairs and Health Ministry said on Sunday evening.

The Hondius entered the port of Granadilla on Tenerife earlier on Sunday after a deadly hantavirus outbreak on board prompted the evacuation of passengers and crew under strict safety precautions. According to the WHO, there have been six confirmed cases and two suspected cases, with three people dying in the outbreak, including a German woman.