WHO chief tells Tenerife people that risk from hantavirus-hit ship 'low'

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus assured residents of Tenerife on Saturday that the public health risk from an incoming hantavirus-stricken cruise ship was "low," writing in an open letter that "this is not another Covid."

The Dutch-flagged MV Hondius, on which three passengers have died, was expected to arrive off the Spanish island at dawn Sunday.

What did the WHO chief say about the hantavirus risk to Tenerife?

Tedros wrote directly to the people of Tenerife to address fears triggered by the ship's approach. "I know you are worried," he wrote, acknowledging that the word "outbreak" and memories of 2020 had surfaced painful emotions.

He stressed, however, that "the risk to you, living your daily life in Tenerife, is low," adding: "This is the WHO's assessment, and we do not make it lightly." A WHO expert on board had determined there were "no symptomatic passengers" at the time of writing.

How serious is the hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius?

Three passengers have died: a Dutch husband and wife and a German woman.

The Andes virus, the only strain of hantavirus capable of spreading from person to person, has been confirmed among those who tested positive, fueling international concern.

Tedros acknowledged the strain "is serious," saying: "Three people have lost their lives, and our hearts go out to their families." Regional authorities in the Canary Islands refused to allow the vessel to dock, deciding it would remain offshore while passengers are screened and evacuated.

How will passengers be evacuated from the ship?

Tedros outlined a detailed evacuation plan coordinated with Spanish authorities.

Passengers will be ferried ashore at the industrial port of Granadilla, far from residential areas, in sealed, guarded vehicles through a completely cordoned-off corridor, before being repatriated directly to their home countries.

"You will not encounter them. Your families will not encounter them," Tedros wrote. He said medical supplies were in place and praised Spain's "careful, step-by-step plan."

Why did the WHO chief travel to Tenerife?

Tedros traveled to the Canary Islands to help coordinate the evacuation of the roughly 150 people on board and to personally reassure the local population.

He thanked Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez for Spain's "solidarity" in agreeing to receive the ship. The WHO chief's presence signals the seriousness with which global health authorities are treating the outbreak, even as they seek to prevent public panic.