WHO: Hantavirus on MV Hondius not another COVID, risk low
Synopsis
WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has directly addressed public fears, declaring the hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius — which has claimed three lives — is not another COVID. With a WHO expert on board, Spain coordinating a meticulous disembarkation plan at Tenerife, and no symptomatic passengers currently on the ship, the organisation insists the global risk remains low.
Key Takeaways
WHO confirmed on 9 May that the hantavirus outbreak aboard MV Hondius does not pose a COVID-level pandemic risk.
A total of 8 hantavirus cases , including 3 deaths , have been reported on the ship.
The strain involved is the Andes strain of hantavirus; no symptomatic passengers are currently on board.
Nearly 150 passengers from 23 countries are on the vessel; disembarkation is planned at the industrial port of Granadilla , Tenerife, Spain.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus personally thanked Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez for receiving the ship.
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Saturday, 9 May firmly stated that the hantavirus outbreak aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius does not represent another COVID-19-level pandemic, with the organisation assessing the current public health risk to the global population as low. The reassurance came directly from WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who addressed widespread public anxiety in a personal message.
What Dr Tedros Said
Point of View
Direct-to-public messaging from Dr Tedros is itself a signal — the organisation is acutely aware that post-COVID anxiety can amplify a contained outbreak into a global panic. Three deaths are serious, but the Andes strain of hantavirus does not transmit as readily as SARS-CoV-2, and the MV Hondius situation is geographically contained. Spain's methodical disembarkation protocol reflects the lessons of 2020, when early missteps in port management accelerated spread. The real test here is not virological — it is logistical and diplomatic, and so far both appear to be holding.
NationPress
11 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the hantavirus outbreak on MV Hondius a new pandemic?
No. The WHO has explicitly stated that the hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius is not another COVID-19 pandemic, and the global public health risk is currently assessed as low. WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made this clear in a direct public message on 9 May.
How many hantavirus cases and deaths have been reported on the ship?
A total of eight hantavirus cases, including three deaths, have been reported aboard the MV Hondius. There are currently no symptomatic passengers on board, and a WHO expert is present on the ship.
What strain of hantavirus is involved in the MV Hondius outbreak?
The strain identified on the MV Hondius is the Andes strain of hantavirus. The Andes strain is notable for being one of the few hantavirus variants with evidence of limited human-to-human transmission, though WHO has assessed the current global risk as low.
Where will the MV Hondius passengers disembark?
Passengers will be disembarked at the industrial port of Granadilla in Tenerife, Spain, which was chosen for its medical capacity and infrastructure. They will be transported in sealed, guarded vehicles through a cordoned-off corridor before being repatriated to their home countries.
Why did Spain agree to receive the MV Hondius?
Spain agreed to receive the ship following a WHO request made in full accordance with the International Health Regulations. Dr Tedros personally thanked Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, calling the decision an act of solidarity and moral duty.
