The cruise ship MV "Hondius", which has had several cases of hantavirus infection, is expected to arrive in Tenerife early Sunday morning.
This was reported by Spain's Health Minister, Mónica García, on Saturday. The news agency AFP writes.
Specifically, the ship is expected to arrive between 05:00 and 07:00 Danish time.
The World Health Organization (WHO) stated on Friday that six cases of hantavirus have been confirmed so far out of eight suspected cases.
A number of different nationalities are on board the cruise ship.
Germany, France, Belgium, Ireland and the Netherlands have confirmed that they will send planes to evacuate citizens from their respective countries.
This was stated by Spain's Interior Minister on Saturday, writes Reuters.
Three people have died
The EU is sending two more flights for the remaining European citizens, adds the minister - Fernando Grande-Marlaska.
The US and the UK have also confirmed that they are sending flights. In addition, contingency plans have been drawn up for citizens outside the EU whose home countries are unable to send flights, the minister says.
The cruise ship, sailing under the Dutch flag, set sail from Argentina on 1 April and then sailed to St Helena, a British overseas territory in the Atlantic Ocean.
Among the confirmed and suspected cases, three people have died.
On 6 April, a 70-year-old Dutch man fell ill on board the cruise ship MV "Hondius". He died five days later.
Subsequently, his wife, a 69-year-old woman, became unwell and went ashore when his body was removed from the ship.
She went ashore on the British island of St. Helena on April 24 and subsequently flew to South Africa. On April 26, she died in Johannesburg.
Body to remain on board
A German woman then developed symptoms. She died on May 2 on board the ship. Her body is still on board.
- Neither the luggage nor the body of the deceased will be disembarked in the Canary Islands – they will remain on board with part of the crew, says Mónica García, adding that the ship will then continue its journey towards the Netherlands.
On May 3, the ship arrived in the Cape Verdean capital, Praia, where the WHO stated that it was responding to a suspected outbreak of hantavirus on the ship. Cape Verdean authorities would not let the passengers disembark.
Two days later, Spanish authorities announced that the ship had been given permission to dock in the Canary Islands, of which Tenerife is a part.
No Danes have been confirmed infected with hantavirus.
/ritzau/
