Passengers from the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius are finally returning home after weeks stranded on board the luxury expedition vessel.
In the first round of evacuations from the Canary Islands, 94 people from 16 nationalities were repatriated, though some may carry the rare respiratory virus spread through contact with rat droppings.
The World Health Organisation recommends a 42-day quarantine for anyone exposed, but quarantine protocols vary by country, ranging from 45 days in Greece to just 72 hours in the UK.
Despite precautions, specialists stress the risk of wider transmission is extremely low, unlike COVID-19, and authorities say the outbreak is under control.
Al Jazeera’s Imogen Kimber reports.
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