Passengers evacuated from the hantavirus-hit cruise ship have started flying home aboard military and government planes after the vessel anchored in the Canary Islands. Personnel in full-body protective gear and breathing masks had escorted the travelers from ship to shore Sunday in Tenerife, the largest island in the Spanish archipelago off West Africa. The effort flying out passengers from more than 20 countries was continuing Monday. The World Health Organization is recommending close monitoring of the former passengers, and many countries are quarantining them. U.S. officials say one American among the 17 being flown home tested positive but has no symptoms. One of the five French passengers taken to Paris developed symptoms on the flight.

Oceanwide Expeditions has revealed that 29 passengers disembarked from one of its cruise ships hit by a hantavirus outbreak on April 24.