The Spanish government and the regional government of the Canary Islands have come into conflict over the docking of the cruise ship MV Hondius in Tenerife, where an outbreak of the hantavirus has been reported onboard. Madrid maintains that a special operation is being planned in cooperation with the European Union, while Canary Islands authorities recalling memories of quarantine measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, criticised the decision, arguing that it was imposed without prior consultation.
The cruise ship MV Hondius, carrying around 150 people on board, is expected to anchor at the port of Granadilla in the southern part of the island of Tenerife within three days, according to Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia Gomez, who made the announcement at a press conference on Wednesday, May 6.
The docking had been scheduled for Saturday, May 9, following a request submitted by the shipping company Oceanwide Expeditions to the regional port authorities.
“The port of Granadilla was chosen because it is relatively isolated, while at the same time being close to Tenerife South Airport,” the minister explained. The aim is to avoid any contact between the ship’s passengers and the local population.
“A joint operation will be launched to assess the health situation and carry out evacuation procedures, in cooperation with the World Health Organization and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control,” Ms. Monica Garcia Gomez clarified.
All foreign passengers will be repatriated through the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism, coordinated by the European Commission, which has already been activated, “unless their medical condition prevents it,” the minister said, assuring that the operation will provide “all necessary guarantees.”
The president of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, has refused permission for the cruise ship carrying hantavirus cases to dock and has requested an urgent meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
Speaking to radio station Onda Cero, he strongly criticised the central government, accusing it of “institutional disloyalty” and of failing to properly inform regional authorities. He also criticised the Health Minister, arguing that there were no clear answers regarding the protocols and criteria followed by the World Health Organization.
The Canary Islands were among the first places in Europe to be placed under quarantine during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 700 holidaymakers were confined to a hotel in Tenerife for 14 days in February 2020, in an effort by the authorities to prevent the spread of the virus, well before it reached the rest of Europe.
