Nearly one month after the first passenger succumbed to hantavirus aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship, the vessel has at last approached Tenerife in Spain's Canary Islands.

Elaborate arrangements are underway at Granadilla port to accommodate the ship and assist more than 100 passengers and crew members ashore for repatriation.

The Hondius neared the port before sunrise, yet it remains barred from docking: a one-nautical-mile security zone was established around it as it neared the island.

Spain's health minister has called the intricate effort to contain the rare Andes variant of the virus "unprecedented."

Coordinating with 23 nations, the operation has been carefully orchestrated for utmost safety while addressing unease among local residents, including the Canary Islands president, who stated he "won't feel at ease" until everyone departs.

"The contagion risk to the public is minimal," health minister Mónica García reiterated on Saturday.

"Alarmism, false information, and uncertainty undermine core public health efforts."

Security at the southern Tenerife industrial port ramped up significantly on Saturday, with Spain's military police and emergency units erecting large triage tents and limiting waterfront access.

By approximately 07:00 (06:00 GMT) Sunday, once positioned, medical personnel were set to board the Hondius to screen all aboard for symptoms. Recent updates indicate no additional cases.

Passengers and crew will then be grouped by nationality and transported to shore via small boats, coinciding with charter flights waiting at the nearby airport for repatriation.

UK passengers from the vessel to quarantine on the Wirral

On Saturday, the interior minister noted that the UK, US, and several EU countries are dispatching aircraft. Specialized medical planes are also prepared for any isolation needs.

Spanish citizens will head to Madrid for compulsory quarantine at the Gomez Ulla military hospital. Full isolation could prove challenging - given the virus's up to nine-week incubation - with quarantine durations uncertain in Spain and beyond.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, now in Tenerife supervising the offloading, commended officials for their "robust and efficient" handling of the crisis.

The outbreak traces to a rodent-infested landfill in southern Argentina, a birdwatching hotspot. Human transmission is uncommon, yet three passengers have perished.

Thus, the WHO leader has called on anxious locals to have faith in the evacuation team.

"Your worries are understandable, given the Covid legacy still fresh in memory," he noted. However, he stressed the current low transmission risk "due to the virus's nature and Spain's thorough precautions."

Dozens of ICU experts await at Tenerife's Candelaria hospital should anyone worsen during transit. A dedicated isolation room features full infectious disease gear, including tests and a ventilator.

"We are completely prepared," intensive care chief Mar Martin assured me amid stacks of protective suits, masks, and gloves.

"We've not encountered hantavirus previously - but it's a viral illness with challenges we handle routinely. Our training covers it fully."

Initial backlash erupted when residents learned of the ship's diversion here.

On Friday, port workers protested noisily outside the regional parliament, doubting the adequacy of safeguards.

Late Saturday, plans faced disruption when Canary Islands President Fernando Clavijo threatened to block the ship's entry, citing multi-day disembarkation.

With some nations delaying flights, Madrid's central government stepped in.

Clavijo later warned on television of a hantavirus-carrying rat potentially slipping ashore overnight, endangering islanders - a claim the health secretary dismissed as "no threat."

Clarity and composure have since returned.

"The virus is serious, no doubt. But close contact is required for transmission," Jennifer shared while strolling with her child in Santa Cruz, Tenerife's capital.

"With caution, we trust it won't escalate."

Some expressed frustration over Madrid's choice of their island - a political grievance more than health-related.

Memories linger of early Covid assurances that proved overly optimistic.

Yet panic is absent.

"As long as no one comes ashore unchecked, we're good," Esteban said. "If protocols hold, locals aren't concerned," added his partner Isabel.

Not all will leave the Hondius in Tenerife: about 30 crew will remain to sail it back to the Netherlands. For most, an end nears to prolonged anxiety at sea.

Ahead lie extended quarantine periods.