The cruise ship, which set sail from Argentina on 1 April, docked in Tenerife, in Spain’s Canary Islands, less than a week ago, allowing its passengers to leave and go into isolation.
The ship is due to arrive in Rotterdam in the Netherlands on Monday, and remaining staff on board will disembark, its owner Oceanwide Expeditions said, adding that there were currently no symptomatic individuals on board.
The WHO has recommended 42 days of isolation for each person. The Canadians were initially required to isolate for 21 days but Dr Henry said that timeline could now be adjusted.
Hantaviruses are usually carried by rodents, but human transmission of the Andes strain – which the WHO believes some of the ship’s passengers contracted in South America – is possible.
Symptoms can include fever, extreme fatigue, muscle aches, stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and shortness of breath.
Officials say the risk of a major outbreak is very low.
