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Last two evacuation flights from hantavirus-hit ship to depart Monday afternoon

By Reuters Reuters
Exterior of the emergency unit area of Sant Joan university hospital where a woman with symptoms consistent with a hantavirus infection is being treated, according to local media, in Alicante, Spain May 8, 2026. Spanish health authorities said the suspected case involves a woman who was a passenger on the same flight as a patient who died in Johannesburg after travelling on the MV Hondius cruise ship and contracting the virus. REUTERS/Rafael Molina NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES.
Exterior of the emergency unit area of Sant Joan university hospital where a woman with symptoms consistent with a hantavirus infection is being treated, according to local media, in Alicante, Spain May 8, 2026. Spanish health authorities said the suspected case involves a woman who was a passenger on the same flight as a patient who died in Johannesburg after travelling on the MV Hondius cruise ship and contracting the virus. REUTERS/Rafael Molina NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. Rafael Molina Reuters

TENERIFE/MADRID, May 10 (Reuters) - The final two flights to evacuate passengers from the cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak docked near Tenerife will depart on Monday afternoon, Spain's health minister said on Sunday evening, adding 94 passengers had been evacuated so far.

One flight frm Australia will carry six passengers and another from the Netherlands will take 18 passengers, with both flights also taking passengers from other countries which did not send their own repatriation flights, officials have said.

(Reporting by Corina Pons, Victoria Waldersee; Editing by Aurora Ellis)

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect.

This story was originally published May 10, 2026 at 5:51 PM.

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