The passengers are being transported in sealed and guarded boats to the industrial port of Granadilla, a port far from residential areas, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus explained in an open letter to the people of Tenerife. They will then be sent directly to their home countries.
It is a very complicated operation because there is a relatively large number of people who should not risk infecting each other during transport if someone is carrying an infection," says Erik Sturegård.
Transportation home
Once ashore, they must not come into contact with anyone until it is ensured that no one is sick.
Then some form of health check should be carried out, and transportation to the respective home country should be arranged for those who are not going to remain in place.
How those who have been aboard the MV Hondius are then taken care of in their respective home countries differs somewhat, but in broad terms it involves home isolation, keeping track of symptoms and reporting to health services.
What's a bit sad about this infection is that it can have such a long incubation period that some form of follow-up for six weeks is recommended.
Don't force
In Sweden, you cannot force people into home isolation, but what the legislation looks like is not really the most important thing, Sturegård explains.
We saw during the pandemic that there were many countries that had mandatory legislation and where people still did not follow the law. The important thing is that you get compliance.
Erik Sturegård emphasizes that WHO, together with the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and national authorities, has worked hard on preparations, but that this is a disease that, despite being serious, has low infectiousness.
I would like to remind you that we are acting not so much because we are worried but so that everyone does not have to worry. As I understand it, this is being handled in an extremely safe and wise way precisely so that no risks arise.
Hantavirus infections are caused by around 35 different closely related variants of hantavirus that have been reported worldwide.
Hantavirus infection is a zoonosis, meaning a disease that can be transmitted between animals and humans. In one variant, the Andes virus, which is mainly found in South America, transmission between humans has also been demonstrated.
In Sweden, only the puumala virus variant, which causes the disease vole fever, is found.
Each hantavirus has a specific rodent species as its host. Hantavirus does not normally cause disease in rodents, but they can carry the virus for a long time. Viruses are excreted in the urine, feces, and saliva of infected rodents.
Depending on the type of hantavirus, infections can range from completely asymptomatic to very severe forms of hemorrhagic fever or acute pulmonary syndrome with a high mortality rate.
Source: Public Health Agency of Sweden
