WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Photo: Collected

GENEVA, May 9, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The World Health Organization chief said 
Saturday he had arrived in Spain and would join government officials to 
oversee the disembarkation of a hantavirus-hit cruise ship in the Canary 
Islands.

"I arrived in Spain, where I will join senior government officials in a 
mission to Tenerife to oversee safe disembarkation of the passengers, crew 
members and health experts from MV Hondius cruise ship," Tedros Adhanom 
Ghebreyesus said on X.

Three passengers from the MV Hondius -- a Dutch husband and wife and a German 
woman -- have died, while others have fallen sick with the rare disease, 
which usually spreads among rodents.

The only hantavirus strain that can transmit from person to person -- Andes 
virus -- has been confirmed among those who have tested positive, fuelling 
international concern.

The Dutch-flagged vessel, which has around 150 people on board, is expected 
to arrive at the Spanish Canary Island of Tenerife on Sunday. Special flights 
will then take passengers to their home countries.

Tedros said he was "in direct communication with captain Jan Dobrogowski and 
WHO colleague on board Dr Freddy Banza-Mutoka, who told me that, at this 
stage, there are no additional people on board showing symptoms of 
hantavirus".

"WHO continues to actively monitor the situation, coordinate support and next 
steps and will keep Member States and the public updated accordingly," he 
said, stressing that "so far, the risk for the population of Canary Islands 
and globally remains low".

The Spanish prime minister's office said that Tedros would meet Pedro Sanchez 
at his official residence at 1500 GMT Saturday, before he leaves for the 
Spanish archipelago.

Tedros will accompany Spain's health and interior ministers to a command post 
in Tenerife "to ensure coordination between administrations, health control, 
and the application of the planned surveillance and response protocols", 
Spanish ministry sources said.