Hantavirus: WHO says risk remains low as cruise ship heads to Tenerife

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged residents of Tenerife to remain calm following concerns over a hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship expected to undergo emergency operations on the Spanish island.

In a public message on Saturday, WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said the situation posed a low public health risk, stressing that it was not comparable to previous global outbreaks such as COVID-19.

Mr Ghebreyesus said he was addressing residents directly due to anxiety triggered by the approaching vessel, the MV Hondius, which had recorded confirmed infections during its voyage.

“I know you are worried. I know that when you hear the word “outbreak” and watch a ship sail toward your shores, memories surface that none of us have fully put to rest. The pain of 2020 is still real, and I will not dismiss it for a single moment,” he said.

Earlier this week, the WHO noted that the outbreak involves the Andes strain of hantavirus, a rodent-borne virus that can cause severe illness in humans through exposure to infected rodents or contaminated materials such as urine, droppings or saliva. According to the health body, the infection was detected after passengers aboard the ship developed symptoms during the voyage, prompting medical investigations that confirmed the presence of the virus.

Three deaths have so far been recorded among passengers, while about 150 people from 23 countries remain on board and stranded at sea following the incident.

Despite the severity of individual cases, WHO said there is currently no evidence of symptomatic passengers remaining on the vessel, and maintained that the overall public health risk remains low.

Tenerife is the largest island in Spain’s Canary Islands, located in the Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of Africa. It is a major tourism and logistics hub, with ports frequently used for international maritime operations.

Spanish authorities, working with the WHO, have put in place a structured plan to manage the situation without exposing residents to risk.

Passengers are expected to be transferred ashore through the industrial port of Granadilla, away from residential areas, and moved in sealed and guarded vehicles through a restricted corridor before being repatriated to their home countries.

WHO said the operation has been designed to ensure that the public will not come into contact with those disembarking from the vessel.

Mr Ghebreyesus said a WHO expert had already been deployed to the ship, with medical supplies in place to support response efforts onboard.

He praised Spain for agreeing to receive the vessel, describing the decision as an act of solidarity taken in line with the International Health Regulations, which govern global responses to public health emergencies.

He also noted that the request for Tenerife’s involvement was based on its capacity to safely manage the operation.

Mr Ghebreyesus said he intended to travel personally to Tenerife to observe the operation and show support for health workers and officials coordinating the response.

He commended the ship’s captain, Jan Dobrogowski, the crew and the operating company for their cooperation throughout the incident.

He reiterated that infectious diseases do not respect borders and called for global solidarity in managing such outbreaks.

In Nigeria, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said there is no official record of hantavirus cases in the country, but noted that it is closely monitoring global developments through its disease surveillance systems.

The agency advised members of the public to maintain clean environments and prevent rodent infestation by properly storing food and safely disposing of waste.

The NCDC also warned against direct contact with rodents or their droppings, especially when cleaning contaminated spaces.