Two Irish people are being evacuated from a cruise ship at the centre of a hantavirus outbreak.
The ship docked in Tenerife early this morning, where Spanish health officials boarded the vessel to conduct final checks.
The Government is sending a plane to Tenerife to repatriate the two Irish citizens. The Department of Health says both individuals are currently well, but they will be taken to a HSE facility for quarantine immediately upon their arrival in Ireland.
The Social Democrats’ Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, and locally based Senator Patricia Stephenson, says it is reassuring to hear that strict precautionary measures are being taken.
“It’s such a traumatic experience, I’m sure their families have been incredibly worried when you hear reports of people being sort of stuck in that kind of condition with that happening, I can’t imagine the sleepless nights they must have had. It’s good that they’re going to be taken off when it’s deemed appropriate to do so by the WHO.”
“The WHO experts are there in Spain monitoring it all, I think that’s a positive thing that they’re there on the ground and making sure that it’s all carried out safely and securely.” she added.
