Passengers aboard a cruise ship linked to a deadly hantavirus outbreak have begun disembarking in Spain’s Canary Islands.
The move comes after three people died and the vessel spent weeks at sea struggling to find a port willing to accept it.
The Australian Government confirmed four Australian citizens and one permanent resident were onboard.
They are expected to be flown home on Tuesday before undergoing quarantine measures.
MV Hondius
The MV Hondius is a Dutch expedition cruise ship that departed Argentina on 1 April for a voyage to Antarctica and remote South Atlantic islands.
A passenger died from hantavirus on 11 April. Since then, at least eight cases have been reported, including three deaths.
The ship spent days anchored off Cabo Verde after local authorities said their facilities could not support a safe evacuation. Spain later approved plans for the Hondius to dock in the Canary Islands, citing international law and humanitarian principles.
Hantavirus
Hantavirus is a serious infectious disease spread by rodents. Humans can contract it through contact with urine or faeces from an infected rodent.
Early symptoms include fever, muscle aches and fatigue, typically appearing between one and eight weeks after infection.
The strain detected onboard the Hondius is the Andes virus, one of only two hantavirus strains known to spread between humans in rare cases, usually through close or prolonged contact.
The World Health Organisation has clarified that "this is not the start of a COVID pandemic.
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Australians
The Government has said it is repatriating four Australian citizens and one permanent resident from Tenerife on a flight that will land in Perth on Tuesday.
One New Zealand citizen will also travel on the flight.
The passengers live in NSW and Queensland.
None are displaying symptoms of the virus.
Medical personnel will be onboard the flight, and the passengers will be placed in quarantine at medical facilities on arrival.
The WHO has recommended a 42-day quarantine for all passengers from the MV Hondius, given that the incubation period for the virus is up to six weeks.
Quarantine measures for the passengers returning to Australia will be managed by state Governments and are still being finalised.
Other countries
American passengers were flown to the National Quarantine Unit in Nebraska, where they are being assessed. However, they will not be required to quarantine.
One of the five French passengers developed symptoms during the repatriation flight, prompting authorities to place all five in strict isolation.
While passengers begin returning home, most crew members will remain onboard as the ship travels to the Netherlands for disinfection.
