Madrid, May 11 (IANS) The Embassy of India in Madrid, Spain, stated on Sunday that two Indians who were aboard the Hantavirus-hit cruise ship are safe and asymptomatic.

The Dutch-flagged vessel MV Hondius, with around 150 individuals, including two Indian nationals, arrived in Spain on Sunday.

In the context of the Hantavirus outbreak, the ship anchored off the coast of the Canary Islands of Spain. The passengers onboard disembarked from the ship in accordance with the protocol established by the WHO and the Spanish authorities, stated the Embassy.

The two Indian nationals are healthy and asymptomatic. As informed by the Spanish National Centre for Emergency Monitoring and Coordination (CENEM), the two Indian nationals who were travelling as crew members have been evacuated to the Netherlands, where they will be quarantined as per relevant health safety protocol, the embassy noted.

The Embassy also highlighted that the Ambassador is in close contact with the Spanish authorities and the two Indian nationals (crew members) and is regularly monitoring the situation to ensure the well-being and safety of the Indian nationals.

The first plane carrying Spanish passengers evacuated from the Hantavirus-hit cruise ship MV Hondius departed from Spain’s Canary Islands for Madrid on Sunday.

On May 4, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said that it is monitoring and supporting a public health incident aboard a cruise vessel sailing in the Atlantic Ocean, where a hantavirus outbreak has been confirmed, resulting in three deaths and multiple suspected infections.

The outbreak has been reported aboard the MV Hondius, a polar cruise ship operated by tour company Oceanwide Expeditions. According to its published itinerary, the vessel departed Ushuaia in southern Argentina on March 20 and was expected to complete its voyage in Cape Verde on May 4.

The ship is a 107.6-metre (353 ft) expedition cruise vessel designed to carry up to 170 passengers in 80 cabins, along with 57 crew members, 13 guides, and one onboard doctor.

–IANS

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