The 14 Spaniards from the hantavirus ship are now in quarantine at Gómez Ulla: here's what their upcoming weeks will look like

The 14 Spaniards from the hantavirus ship are now in quarantine at Gómez Ulla: here's what their upcoming weeks will look like

The 14 Spaniards from the MV Hondius cruise ship affected by hantavirus are already at the Gómez Ulla Central Defense Hospital, where they will spend weeks in quarantine in complete isolation, in individual rooms, and without visitors. Everything is under the extreme monitoring of potential symptoms, with a clear protocol in place in case any positive cases for the virus arise, to prevent its spread throughout the facility.

Gómez Ulla is the Spanish military hospital specializing in infectious diseases, tested during the Ebola crisis in 2014 and the coronavirus outbreak in 2020. In fact, the Ebola alarm led to the establishment of its High-Level Isolation and Treatment Unit, the largest of the seven in Spain, ready to isolate anyone showing symptoms or confirmed positive for the virus and prevent its spread.

The 14 arrived at the Torrejón de Ardoz airbase (Madrid) after 3:00 PM, coming from Tenerife. They were then transported by two buses to Gómez Ulla for a mandatory quarantine to which none objected. The transfer to the hospital, under the Ministry of Defense, was managed by the Air and Space Force and concluded after 4:30 PM. They were received with anticipation and applause.

In this hospital, a team of professionals solely dedicated to their quarantine will attend to them over the coming weeks. The exact duration is unknown, although the World Health Organization (WHO) specifies that a quarantine of about 42 days is necessary, as the virus can take up to six weeks to manifest from the last contact with an infected person, and the illness appeared on the ship between April 6 and April 28. So far, the Madrid judiciary has only authorized a quarantine of seven calendar days.

Hospital workers expressed "anticipation" but also calm at receiving the passengers from the hantavirus-affected cruise, according to representatives from Satse and CSIF at the hospital. This is not the first time they have faced a similar problem, and past experiences with Ebola and COVID-19, when they had to host 21 repatriated individuals from Wuhan (China), have made them well-trained in the infectious diseases protocol to handle this new crisis.

A Closed Circuit with No Contact and Individual Rooms

Initially, the 14 Spaniards are asymptomatic, but the risk of one carrying the virus exists. Therefore, upon arrival in Torrejón, they were immediately taken to the hospital, entering through the main access and using an exclusive elevator to a floor that has been completely closed off for the occasion.

"A circuit has been set up where they will have no contact with anyone other than the staff attending to them," explained José García, CSIF representative. This circuit has been disinfected down to the last detail after their passage to prevent hospital staff from coming into contact with any potential virus.

The protocol approved last Friday by the Public Health Commission is the same as that used for Ebola and COVID-19.

Upon arrival, they will undergo a PCR test, which will be repeated after seven days, as established by the protocol approved by the Public Health Commission last Friday, the same one followed in this hospital during the Ebola and COVID crises, when they hosted 21 repatriated individuals from Wuhan, China. A complete blood analysis and examination will also be conducted, including vital signs.

Then, each individual will be admitted to an individual room where their temperature will be taken twice daily to detect any symptoms compatible with the infection early.

What Happens if Symptoms Appear?

The protocol for admitted individuals will change if symptoms such as fever, shortness of breath, muscle pain, or vomiting appear. In this case, the affected person will be immediately transferred to the 22nd floor to an isolation room with negative pressure, a system based on ventilation to prevent contaminated air from escaping into the hallway.

There, a blood and serum PCR test will be performed, and if the result is negative but symptoms persist, the test will be repeated 24 hours later.

If symptoms continue and there is no other diagnosis that is compatible or "reasonably certain to diagnose that situation," testing will be repeated every 48 hours.

What if There is a Positive Hantavirus Case?

This is the worst-case scenario, but the hospital is prepared for it. If a person tests positive for hantavirus, they will be immediately transferred to the High-Level Isolation and Treatment Unit (UATAN) until the patient has fully clinically recovered.

This unit has seven hospitalization beds and a BSL-3 laboratory. Its facilities allow for the isolation of patients suspected or confirmed of having High-Risk Infectious Diseases (EIAR), minimizing the risk of contagion to healthcare personnel as well as the general public.

Among the repatriated Spaniards are 13 passengers and one crew member. Five are from Catalonia, three from Madrid, three from the Principality of Asturias, and one from Castilla and León, Galicia, and the Valencian Community, respectively.