The head of the World Health Organization has moved to calm fears in Tenerife as a hantavirus-stricken cruise ship approaches the Spanish island for emergency evacuation procedures.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus assured residents that the outbreak linked to the Dutch-flagged vessel MV Hondius was “not another COVID,” emphasizing that the current public health risk remains low.
The ship, carrying more than 140 passengers and crew members, is expected to arrive in the Canary Islands after several confirmed hantavirus infections and multiple deaths linked to the outbreak. Spanish authorities, alongside WHO officials, are coordinating a controlled disembarkation operation under strict health measures.
Hantavirus is a potentially deadly disease commonly spread through contact with contaminated rodent waste. Health experts say it is not easily transmitted between people, although the Andes strain detected in this outbreak may rarely spread through human contact.
Three people have died since the outbreak began, while several infected passengers who had earlier left the vessel are being monitored by health authorities across multiple countries.
Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia said passengers and selected crew members would be evacuated under maximum safety protocols. Those disembarking will undergo health screening and quarantine procedures before being repatriated to their respective countries.
Authorities said passengers would be allowed to carry only essential belongings, while the ship itself will later proceed to the Netherlands for disinfection.
Some residents in Tenerife have expressed concern over the vessel’s arrival, citing memories of the COVID-19 pandemic and fears about possible transmission. Others, however, have called for empathy toward passengers stranded aboard the ship.
International health agencies are also tracing passengers who disembarked before the outbreak was officially confirmed, as governments across Europe and North America coordinate quarantine and monitoring measures.
Officials insist the situation remains under control, though surveillance and containment efforts are expected to continue in the coming weeks.
