World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned on Tuesday, May 12, that three passengers aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius have died from a hantavirus outbreak, triggering an international evacuation and diplomatic tensions over where the vessel could dock.
“Our work is not over to contain hantavirus,” Tedros said at a joint news conference in Madrid alongside Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
Health officials have stressed that the global public health risk remains low and rejected comparisons to the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, Tedros cautioned that the situation could change, noting that hantavirus carries a long incubation period that may produce additional cases in the coming weeks. He said there is currently no sign of a larger outbreak.
More than 120 passengers and crew were airlifted from Spain’s Canary Islands following the evacuation. Hantavirus has no specific vaccine or approved treatment, adding to the urgency of monitoring and containment efforts.
Countries are adopting varying health protocols for returning passengers. The WHO recommends a 42-day quarantine and continuous monitoring, though the United States signalled a different approach. Acting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Jay Bhattacharya indicated that American passengers may not be subject to mandatory quarantine. Tedros expressed hope that all countries would follow WHO guidelines to ensure a consistent global response.
The MV Hondius encountered significant diplomatic friction before its evacuation could proceed. Cape Verde refused the ship entry, leaving it anchored offshore while air evacuations were negotiated. Spain ultimately allowed the vessel to anchor off the Canary Islands, a decision that drew strong opposition from the local regional government but was defended by Sanchez on grounds of global solidarity.
