The European Union is helping member states coordinate the response to the outbreak of Hantavirus on board a cruise ship.
The cruise ship was supposed to land in Cape Verde from Argentina, but after the deadly virus outbreak, Spain stepped in and reached a deal with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to have the ship arrive at the port of Tenerife in the Canary Islands. As a result, Spain activated the so-called EU Civil Protection Mechanism on May 6th, involving the EU and its Emergency Response Coordination Centre. Also, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has been involved in monitoring the situation.
The EU helped coordinate evacuation flights for European citizens deemed safe, with six flights made by France, Spain, Ireland, Greece and the Netherlands between May 10th and May 12th. In addition, the EU established a medical evacuation aircraft in Tenerife and assigned a liaison officer to continue coordination on-site.
The ECDC is currently not concerned about future outbreaks of the virus, assessing the risk it poses to the general European population as very low. The European Commission is, in any case, in close contact with international organisations. “The Commission is working around the clock to ensure response actions are swift and effective, and that support is available where it is needed,” said Hadja Lahbib, Commissioner for Crisis Management.
Following COVID-19, the European Union established a new response protocol, with a revised system approved in 2022. The new system strengthens the EU’s capacity for response in the event of a health crisis by establishing officers who can act as coordinators at both the national and international levels to ensure a fast, uniform response and keep the bloc up to date on the situation.
