The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) assured Tenerife residents that the cruise ship experiencing a hantavirus outbreak, which is about to dock, carries a low risk of virus transmission despite facing opposition.
On 9 May 2026, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, reassured the people of Tenerife that the cruise ship with a hantavirus outbreak, en route to dock at the island, presents a low infection risk.
Dr. Ghebreyesus emphasized in a personal message to Tenerife residents, part of the Canary Islands, that “This is not another wave of COVID,” and currently no symptomatic passengers remain on the MV Hondius.
“I understand your concerns,” Dr. Ghebreyesus said to Tenerife residents. “I know that hearing the word 'outbreak' and seeing a ship approaching shore brings back old memories. The pain from 2020 remains real, and I have never dismissed those feelings, not even for a moment.”
“But I want you to hear me clearly: this is not another COVID wave. The current public health risk from hantavirus remains low,” the WHO Director-General stressed, adding that WHO expert Dr. Freddy Bansa-Mutoka is currently aboard the MV Hondius.
WHO reported that Dr. Freddy, along with two Dutch doctors, is assessing the medical conditions and exposure risks of everyone on board, with the latest report indicating no passengers are newly showing hantavirus symptoms.
The MV Hondius is scheduled to dock at Granadilla port between approximately 04:00 and 06:00 GMT on Sunday, causing significant local concern. Meanwhile, Fernando Clavijo, President of the Canary Islands government, has opposed this plan.
In recent days, six infected passengers have been confirmed on this ship; one died during the voyage, and two others died after being hospitalized.
Spanish authorities have tried to ease concerns about the ship’s arrival by explaining strict quarantine and prevention measures in place.
Monica Garcia, Spain’s Minister of Health, stated at a press conference that passengers will be quarantined on the ship and will only be allowed to disembark by small boat if flights are ready to repatriate them at the airport.
Typically, hantavirus is transmitted by rodents, but human-to-human transmission can occur with the Andes strain. WHO believes some passengers contracted the virus while in South America.
Follow international news:https://www.thairath.co.th/news/foreign
Source:bbc