Multiple passengers from the hantavirus-stricken MV Hondius have reportedly been seen without correctly fitted face masks, shortly after the vessel arrived in the Canary Islands. Despite the ship’s recent docking in Spain, at least one traveller, thought to be a Dutch national, was pictured removing his mask to wave at journalists from a bus.
In another image, a passenger was captured with a mask hanging from a single ear, even as those surrounding them were wearing full protective equipment. These alleged lapses occurred despite the high-security health measures in place for the disembarkation.
Local reports also suggest a breach among the state’s medical team, after a Spanish healthcare worker was allegedly seen removing PPE in a public space. The individual, part of the state-deployed support unit, reportedly stripped off their protective gear in the street after exiting a military bus provided by the Unidad Militar de Emergencias (UME) on Sunday.
As residents fear their region could become the epicentre of yet another pandemic-era catastrophe, World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was questioned by journalists over the relaxed approach to quarantine measures, reports The Mirror.
He appeared unmoved. He replied: “I saw that in the picture [of a maskless passenger] also,” he said. “[The mask] was hanging on his ears. You know, so many of these passengers are elderly, and you can imagine how uncomfortable could be – especially when you have FFP2 masks.”
He stressed the importance of remembering that the majority of passengers who disembarked the vessel affected by the ray-transmitted illness are predominantly elderly and already face “many health challenges” that come with advancing years.
“Many of them are elderly and they have many other chronic conditions. There could be symptoms associated with those. So if there are symptoms, it doesn’t mean that it’s related to hantivirus.”
While the WHO officials did not appear particularly alarmed by the relaxed attitude some had towards wearing masks, social media users were far from satisfied.
One user commented: “Tell that to all the essential workers required to wear them for hours upon hours during Covid. Not an excuse.”
A second wrote: “Oh ok, but they forced [masks on us] during Covid. No matter what.” While a third noted: “[Wearing a mask is] not more uncomfortable than dying.”
Meanwhile, in the hours following disembarkation from the infected cruise ship at Tenerife, another passenger began exhibiting hantavirus symptoms while being repatriated to their home nation of France, the country’s prime minister confirmed.
Sébastien Lecornu revealed the French national developed symptoms aboard a chartered flight from Tenerife to Paris, and consequently all five evacuees from the MV Hondius had been “immediately placed in strict isolation until further notice”. The French nationals are amongst over 90 holidaymakers to be transported home from the Dutch vessel on Sunday, which dropped anchor off the Canary Islands before daybreak.
While official statements from the Spanish islands do confirm that health authorities are treating both quarantine and decontamination measures seriously, this has done little to ease concerns amongst residents that their homeland could become the focal point of another pandemic.
Healthcare worker David Hernández told the Independent he was consumed by worry upon learning that the MV Hondius would shortly arrive in Tenerife.
“I thought, ‘Why us?’ Everyone will be scared by the uncertainty of the situation. This is bringing back flashbacks of the Covid-19 pandemic. We had a terrible time in the hospital then,” the intensive care nurse, 29, told The Independent.
“I am human, and understand we all could have been on that cruise ship, but there must be some protocols.”
The prospect of another quarantine brought distressing memories from the 2020 pandemic flooding back, the-29-year-old said.
The Canary Islands became a hotspot for the spread of coronavirus in February 2020, after several infected guests checked into a Tenerife hotel. Those guests thrust more than 1,000 people into complete lockdown, making headlines across the globe.
The pandemic saw tourism come to a standstill; the island’s primary source of income. Hernández continued: “The population on the island has grown by about a million on the island since the pandemic, and we have the same 24 beds in the intensive care unit. I don’t think we can cope,” he said.
Other residents echoed these concerns.
Retired teacher Francesca Borges said: “We think, ‘Why us again?’. During Covid lots of cruise ships were stranded here.”
Article continues below
Ms Borges, 65, added to the Independent: “There is a history of the Canary Islands having to take responsibility for a European problem. There is a sense that the Spanish government has always had this attitude that the Canary Islands is treated like a colony when it is in a situation like this.”
Ensure our latest stories always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as your Preferred Source in your Google search settings.