Two Indians safe after hantavirus scare on cruise ship near Spain

New Delhi: The two Indian crew members on board the Dutch-flagged cruise ship MV Hondius are healthy and asymptomatic after the ship anchored off Spain’s Canary Islands amid a hantavirus scare, the Indian Embassy in Madrid said on Sunday.The ship arrived in Spain with about 150 people on board, and the International Center for Health Monitoring said there was an outbreak of hantavirus on board. Passengers were allowed to disembark following protocols set by the World Health Organization and Spanish authorities.According to the embassy, ​​the two Indians who were crew members on the ship have now been evacuated to the Netherlands where they will undergo quarantine and health monitoring in line with safety protocols.“The two Indian citizens are in good health and asymptomatic,” the embassy said in a statement on May 10.The embassy added that Indian authorities are in close contact with Spanish officials and are regularly monitoring the situation to ensure the well-being and safety of Indian nationals.The development comes amid heightened global concern over hantavirus infections, with previous reports linked to the cruise ship triggering precautionary measures from European health agencies.Hantavirus is a rodent-borne viral disease that can in rare cases cause severe respiratory illness.However, experts say there is no immediate public health problem in India.