LIVE: Spain completes evacuation operation of hantavirus cruise ship passengers on Monday

The Dutch Prime Minister, Rob Jetten, has taken to social media to express his gratitude to the Spanish authorities, led by the Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, for the operation organised in response to the MV Hondius cruise ship, which has been hit by a hantavirus outbreak.

The UK has confirmed that the 22 people evacuated this Sunday from the cruise ship MV Hondius have arrived in the country and have been admitted to Arrowe Park Hospital, located in Merseyside.

All will undergo testing in the coming hours to determine if they are infected with hantavirus; for now, none are showing symptoms.

The group that travelled to the UK consists of 20 British nationals, one German resident in the UK, and one Japanese national evacuated at the request of Tokyo.

Health authorities consider the "weak positive" result from the US as an "inconclusive" case.

Health Secretary Javier Padilla has said said the Spanish government considers it an "inconclusive" result, although the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) prefers to treat it as a positive case.

Padilla added that the symptomatic case involves a woman who developed a cough and also reported symptoms including "anxiety" and "throat irritation". However, he ruled out treating it as "conclusive symptoms".

"If this could not happen, we would not be taking these measures."

Health Secretary Javier Padilla also reacted to the French hantavirus case, telling 24 Horas that these results "can happen" and that all measures the government is adopting aim to break chains of transmission.

The French citizen evacuated on Sunday after developing symptoms compatible with hantavirus during the return flight has tested positive.

French Health Minister Stéphanie Rist has confirmed that one of the five French nationals repatriated from the MV Hondius had tested positive. Rist said the patient's condition "worsened overnight" and added that authorities had identified 22 close contacts in France.

A Guardia Civil officer died from a heart attack on Sunday during the operation after the arrival of the MV Hondius, where the hantavirus outbreak emerged.

According to the Jucil nacional association, the officer was on standby at the operational command post when he suffered the fatal heart attack. Emergency teams attempted resuscitation for 40 minutes but could not save him.

US authorities have confirmed that one passenger from the MV Hondius returned a "weak positive" hantavirus result, while another has developed "mild symptoms" compatible with the virus.

One of the five French nationals evacuated from the cruise ship provided the only negative development on Sunday. French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said the passenger developed symptoms compatible with hantavirus during the return flight.

The group of 14 Spaniards (13 passengers and one crew member from the MV Hondius) arrived at 4.26pm on Sunday at Madrid's Gómez Ulla hospital, which belongs to the Ministry of Defence. Security teams escorted them through the main entrance as part of a major operation.

To applause, the two buses carrying the passengers from the Dutch vessel entered the hospital complex. Staff then transferred the group to a specially prepared ward, where doctors will carry out the relevant medical tests.

All 14 Spaniards remain in good health and show no symptoms. They must stay at the Madrid hospital for one week, as the courts on Saturday.

One of the key developments on Sunday was the negative test results the two women under isolation in Alicante and Barcelona returned after contact with hantavirus cases.

Health Minister Mónica García confirmed that both women tested negative. The Alicante patient has now returned a second negative PCR test, although doctors will carry out a third because she has shown symptoms.

The woman in Barcelona has not developed symptoms, although doctors will perform a second PCR test.

Authorities expect to complete the evacuation phase for the 152 passengers aboard the MV Hondius on Monday after the hantavirus outbreak triggered a health emergency.

A total of 94 people disembarked on Sunday. Another 24 will leave on Monday, while the remaining 34 are crew members who will sail with the ship.

Number of evacuees by country so far:

Spain: 14

France: five

Canada: four

Netherlands: 26

Great Britain: 22

Turkey: three

Ireland: two

United States: 18

Two flights will arrive later today to evacuate the remaining passengers:

Australia: six

Netherlands: 18

That would leave 34 people on board. The government expects all passengers to have left the ship by late Monday afternoon, allowing the vessel to sail.