World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said that global efforts to contain the hantavirus outbreak linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius are ongoing following the evacuation of passengers after three deaths were recorded.
The outbreak aboard the vessel has triggered international concern due to the rarity of the virus and the absence of approved vaccines or specific treatments.
However, health authorities have stressed that the overall global public health risk remains low and rejected comparisons with the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There is no sign that we are seeing the start of a larger outbreak,” Tedros said on Tuesday during a joint news conference in Madrid with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
“But of course the situation could change, and given the long incubation period of the virus, it’s possible we might see more cases in the coming weeks,” he added.
More than 120 passengers and crew members aboard the MV Hondius were evacuated from Spain’s Canary Islands on Sunday and Monday, with various countries adopting different health measures for returning evacuees.
Most countries have followed WHO guidelines recommending a 42-day quarantine and continuous monitoring of high-risk contacts.
In contrast, the United States indicated that returning passengers may not face mandatory quarantine measures.
Jay Bhattacharya, acting director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said American evacuees would not necessarily be quarantined.
“I hope they will follow the advice and recommendations we are making,” Tedros said in response.
The outbreak also created diplomatic challenges as countries debated whether to accept the vessel and provide medical support to passengers.
Cape Verde reportedly refused to receive the ship while it remained anchored offshore near Praia as infected passengers were evacuated to Europe.
Spain later permitted the vessel to anchor near the Canary Islands to facilitate evacuations, although the regional government strongly opposed the decision.
Defending the move, Prime Minister Sánchez said, “The world does not need more selfishness or more fear. What it needs are countries that show solidarity and want to step forward.”
