The pinnacle of the World Well being Group will likely be on the Spanish island of Tenerife on Saturday (Could 9, 2026) to assist coordinate the evacuation of passengers contaminated with hantavirus, a Spanish ministry official stated.
Sources stated Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus will accompany Spain’s well being and inside ministers to the native command middle “to make sure intergovernmental coordination, well being administration, and software of deliberate surveillance and response procedures.”
3 passengers from MV Hondius A Dutch couple and a German girl died, whereas others contracted the uncommon illness, which often spreads amongst rodents.
Andes virus, the one pressure of hantavirus that may be transmitted from individual to individual, has been recognized in individuals who have examined constructive, elevating worldwide issues.
The Dutch-flagged ship, with round 150 folks on board, is scheduled to reach in Tenerife, Spain’s Canary Islands, on Sunday (Could 9, 2026). A particular flight then takes the passengers to their dwelling nation.
Earlier on Friday (8 Could 2026), WHO stated the hantavirus outbreak posed minimal threat to most of the people.
“This can be a harmful virus, however it solely spreads to people who find themselves truly contaminated, and the danger to the overall inhabitants stays fairly low,” WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeyer instructed reporters.
An image got here out from MV Hondius If one particular person will get sick, “even when they had been sharing a cabin, it seems that in some circumstances they might not each be contaminated,” he added.
“This virus will not be contagious sufficient to simply unfold from individual to individual,” he says.
The WHO introduced on Friday (Could 9, 2026) that six of the eight suspected circumstances have been confirmed up to now. There aren’t any suspected contaminated individuals left on the ship.
KLM Royal Dutch Airways flight attendant assessments unfavorable
The World Well being Group introduced on Friday (9 Could 2026) {that a} flight attendant for Dutch airline KLM who got here into contact with an contaminated passenger on a cruise ship and subsequently confirmed delicate signs has examined unfavorable for hantavirus.
The passenger, the spouse of the primary particular person to die within the outbreak, was briefly on a flight from Johannesburg to the Netherlands on April 25, however was eliminated earlier than takeoff.
She died the subsequent day in a Johannesburg hospital.
Spanish authorities stated a lady on the flight was present process a hantavirus take a look at after creating signs at her dwelling in jap Spain. She is in isolation at a hospital, Well being Secretary Javier Padilla stated.
“This can be a pretty unlikely case,” he instructed reporters. He was “the one who was two rows behind the one who died from hantavirus.”
A South African girl who was on the flight was “at the moment asymptomatic in South Africa till she returned dwelling after a one-week keep in Barcelona,” a Spanish Inside Ministry supply stated.
Singapore metropolis authorities stated on Friday that two Singapore residents on board the ship had examined unfavorable however would proceed to be quarantined.
Rescuer on board: YouTuber
of MV Hondius The ship departed Ushuaia, Argentina on April 1st and headed throughout the Atlantic Ocean to Cape Verde.
Three suspected circumstances had been evacuated from Cape Verde to the Netherlands, together with two crew members who later examined constructive.
German authorities introduced on Friday (Could 9, 2026) that the third particular person had examined unfavorable however would stay underneath commentary.
State well being official Juan Petrina stated it was “nearly zero” that the Dutch man concerned within the outbreak was contaminated in Ushuaia, given the virus’ incubation interval and different elements.
YouTuber Qassem Ibn Hattuta, who’s touring on the Hondius, stated passengers had been relieved that docs had joined the ship.
“We’ve got lastly left Cape Verde. Everybody on board is relieved, particularly understanding that our sick colleagues will lastly obtain the medical care they want,” he stated in an announcement.
Everyone seems to be in excessive spirits, he added, and “persons are smiling and taking the state of affairs calmly.”
He stated folks wore masks indoors and saved their distance from others.
repatriation plan
America introduced on Friday (Could 9, 2026) that it plans to evacuate the Individuals on board after which switch them to a quarantine facility in Nebraska.
Spanish authorities stated the ship was anchored off the coast of Tenerife and wouldn’t be allowed to dock.
Passengers journey by small boat to the coast, then by bus to the airport.
The Canary Islands regional authorities stated evacuations should happen between Sunday (Could 10) and Monday (Could 11) as extreme climate is anticipated thereafter.
Dockers in Tenerife protested on Friday (9 Could 2026) towards the arrival of the ship.
The cruise referred to as at a number of distant British islands within the South Atlantic.
British well being authorities introduced on Friday (9 Could 2026) a suspected case of the virus in Tristan da Cunha, one of many world’s most remoted settlements with a inhabitants of round 220 folks.
issued – Could 9, 2026 11:06am IST
