Canary Islands leader rejects docking of cruise ship hit by hantavirus outbreak

The regional government of Spain’s Canary Islands is opposed to allowing ‌a luxury cruise ship that has been hit by an outbreak of the deadly hantavirus to dock on the archipelago, its leader, Fernando Clavijo, said on Wednesday.

“This decision is not based on any technical criteria, nor is there sufficient information to reassure the public or guarantee their safety,” Clavijo told radio station COPE.

He added that he had requested an urgent meeting with ‌Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to discuss the issue. Clavijo belongs to the conservative People’s Party – the main opposition to Sanchez’s Socialists.
Earlier on Wednesday, Spanish state broadcaster TVE reported the cruise ship was set to dock at the Canary island of Tenerife, citing sources from the country’s health ministry. The ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.

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