Spanish Health Minister Mónica García has announced that a total of 94 passengers and crew members have been evacuated from the stricken-cruise ship Hondius following the outbreak of the deadly hantavirus.  

The minister said in press statements in Tenerife that individuals from 19 countries had departed the Canary Islands aboard eight private aircraft.

Passenger transfer operations are scheduled to continue on Monday, with one aircraft arriving from the Netherlands and another from Australia. 

The Dutch aircraft will transport six passengers, while the Australian plane will carry 18 affected individuals.

Five of the eight cases have been confirmed as hantavirus, and the other three are suspected, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, revealed in a media briefing on the hantavirus situation on Friday.

The hantavirus involved is the Andes virus, the only species known to be capable of limited transmission between humans, linked to close and prolonged contact.

Describing the situation, Dr Tedros said: "While this is a serious incident, WHO assesses the public health risk as low.

Meanwhile, investigations into the cause of the outbreak are continuing."

“Our priorities are to ensure the affected patients receive care, that the remaining passengers on the ship are kept safe and treated with dignity, and to prevent any further spread of the virus,” Dr Tedros said.