WHO chief reaches Spain before hantavirus-hit ship evacuation

The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said on Saturday that he had arrived in Spain and would join senior officials in overseeing the safe disembarkation of passengers and crew from the MV Hondius following a hantavirus outbreak onboard.

In a statement posted on X, Tedros said the vessel was expected to arrive at Tenerife on Sunday and stressed that, at present, no additional people onboard were showing symptoms of hantavirus infection.

He also sought to reassure the public, stating that the risk to the Canary Islands and the wider international community remained low.

The outbreak aboard the Dutch-flagged expedition cruise ship has already claimed the lives of three passengers — a Dutch couple and a German woman — while several others fell ill during the voyage.

Health authorities confirmed that those who tested positive were infected with the Andes strain of hantavirus, currently regarded as the only known hantavirus capable of spreading from person to person.

The development triggered heightened concern among international health officials and maritime authorities.

The MV Hondius is carrying around 150 people and is expected to dock in Tenerife before passengers are transported back to their home countries on special flights.

Earlier, WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier described the overall public health threat as minimal, saying the virus was “not that contagious” and did not spread easily between individuals.

Tweet by Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus