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WHO seeks to calm fears ahead of ship's arrival
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus has moved to reassure residents of Tenerife as the MV Hondius, a cruise ship with confirmed hantavirus cases, prepares to dock in the early hours of Sunday. The vessel, carrying six infected passengers-three of whom have died-is due to arrive at Granadilla port between 04:00 and 06:00 GMT, with disembarkation scheduled for 07:00 GMT.
Containment measures in place
Spanish health authorities have outlined strict protocols to prevent local transmission. All passengers will wear FFP2 masks during disembarkation, and only essential personnel-also masked-will interact with them. Travelers will be transferred directly to repatriation flights bound for the UK, US, France, Germany, Belgium, and Ireland, with additional EU planes deployed for remaining European citizens.
Passengers are permitted to carry only a small sealed bag containing documents, phones, chargers, and basic necessities. The body of one deceased passenger will remain onboard until the ship reaches the Netherlands, where it will be disinfected before removal.
Hantavirus: Low risk but lingering concerns
Hantaviruses, typically spread by rodents, can transmit between humans in rare cases-particularly the Andes strain suspected in this outbreak. Symptoms include fever, fatigue, muscle pain, and respiratory distress. While the WHO has confirmed no symptomatic passengers remain onboard, two infected British men are receiving treatment in the Netherlands and South Africa, and a third Briton is isolated on Tristan da Cunha with a suspected case.
"This is not another Covid. The current public health risk from hantavirus remains low."
Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General
Dr. Tedros, who traveled to Tenerife to oversee the operation, acknowledged local anxieties but emphasized that the island was chosen for its medical capacity and infrastructure. A WHO expert, Dr. Freddy Banza-Mutoka, is currently aboard the MV Hondius assessing passengers alongside two Dutch physicians.
Political tensions and logistical challenges
The ship's arrival has sparked controversy, with Canary Islands President Fernando Clavijo questioning why the final response phase couldn't occur in Cape Verde, its previous stop. Far-right party Vox has criticized the central government, while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez defended the decision as "an act of solidarity."
The outbreak's origins remain unclear. The WHO previously linked the first two cases to a bird-watching trip in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay, where passengers may have encountered virus-carrying rodents. Investigations continue into potential additional infections among crew or passengers.
Timeline of the outbreak
The first death occurred on 11 April, followed by a second on 2 May. A 69-year-old Dutch woman died in South Africa two days after disembarking in St Helena on 24 April. The MV Hondius stopped at Tristan da Cunha in mid-April, where one passenger remains under observation.
