Regional leader of Spain's Canary Islands rejects hantavirus-hit cruise docking there
Canary Islands Government Response to Hantavirus Cruise Ship Incident
(Corrects paragraph 3 to reflect Clavijo leads a coalition with the People's Party (not "belongs to the People's Party")
Government Opposition to Cruise Ship Docking
MADRID, May 6 (Reuters) - The regional government of Spain's Canary Islands is opposed to allowing a luxury cruise ship that has been hit by an outbreak of the deadly hantavirus to dock on the archipelago, its leader, Fernando Clavijo, said on Wednesday.
Leader's Statement and Public Safety Concerns
"This decision is not based on any technical criteria, nor is there sufficient information to reassure the public or guarantee their safety," Clavijo told radio station COPE.
Request for Urgent Meeting with Prime Minister
He added that he had requested an urgent meeting with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to discuss the issue. Clavijo leads a coalition with the conservative People's Party - the main opposition to Sanchez's Socialists.
Media Reports and Official Response
Earlier on Wednesday, Spanish state broadcaster TVE reported the cruise ship was set to dock at the Canary island of Tenerife, citing sources from the country's health ministry. The ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment.
Reporting and Editing Credits
(Reporting by David Latona; Editing by Charlie Devereux)
