Three people have died in connection with the outbreak identified on the Dutch cruise ship.

Spain will welcome the cruise ship hit by a possible hantavirus outbreak within "3 to 4 days" in the Canary Islands, the Spanish Ministry of Health announced Tuesday evening, specifying that "the precise port (of arrival) has not yet been defined".

"Once on site, the crew and passengers will be duly examined, taken care of and transferred to their respective countries," the ministry continued in a statement, adding that the care and transfers "will be carried out in special spaces and means of transport, specially arranged for this situation, avoiding any contact with the local population."

Cape Verde "not in a position to carry out this operation"

According to the Spanish ministry, the World Health Organization (WHO) "explained that Cape Verde was not able to carry out this operation" and that the Canary Islands were "the closest place with the necessary capabilities".

"The government has also accepted an official request from the Dutch government to welcome the doctor from the MV Hondius, who is in serious condition and will be transported to the Canary Islands in a medical plane today," he further stated.

Earlier on Tuesday, the ministry had assured that "no decision" would be taken on the docking of the cruise ship hit by a possible hantavirus outbreak until "epidemiological data" had been analyzed, shortly after the WHO stated that the central government in Madrid had agreed to receive the cruise ship in the Canary Islands.

Seven cases reported, two of which were confirmed.

From Brussels, where he is on a trip, the regional president of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, for his part, considered that the cruise ship should be "taken care of where it is", in Cape Verde, in the Atlantic, or be redirected to "the Netherlands" because "it flies the Dutch flag".

Three people have died in connection with the outbreak identified on the Dutch cruise ship: a Dutch couple in their seventies and a German passenger.