Washington DC - The US said Friday it was organizing an evacuation flight for Americans on a hantavirus-struck cruise ship that has sailed to the Canary Islands.

"The Department of State is arranging a repatriation flight to support the safe return of American passengers on this ship," a State Department spokesperson said.

The State Department said it was coordinating with the Spanish government as well as other US federal agencies.

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"We are in direct communication with Americans on board and are prepared to provide consular assistance as soon as the ship arrives in Tenerife, Spain," the spokesperson said on customary condition of anonymity.

The ship operator earlier said that 17 Americans were onboard. The State Department did not immediately give a number of US passengers.

The World Health Organization said earlier that the US was among 12 countries that had nationals who disembarked the ship at Saint Helena.

Despite fears of an outbreak, both the WHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have declared that the risk to the public remains low.