Live: Spanish passengers begin evacuating ship hit by hantavirus

Spanish passengers start disembarkation from ship hit by hantavirus

Spain began bringing Spanish passengers ashore from the cruise ship hit by a hantavirus outbreak which anchored near Tenerife on Sunday, with groups of nationals from other ​countries to follow.

Spanish ‌nationals were the first to disembark on small boats in groups of five and be taken to shore where ⁠they were transferred onto buses and taken to the local airport.

The passengers, who are not showing any symptoms of the virus, will board a flight back to Madrid on a Spanish military plane and taken ‌to hospital to be quarantined, government officials said, emphasizing that they will have no contact with members of the public.