Cruise Ship with Hantavirus Outbreak to Arrive at Spanish Island, WHO Director-General Reaffirms Low Risk
The Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius, which experienced a hantavirus outbreak, is set to arrive at Tenerife, Spain. The WHO Director-General reiterated that the public health risk remains low, and Spain's Interior Minister announced arrangements for passengers to return to their home countries.
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- 📰 Published: May 9, 2026 at 23:13
- 🔍 Collected: May 9, 2026 at 23:32 (18 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 10, 2026 at 00:04 (32 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency, Geneva/Madrid, May 9th, comprehensive foreign wire report) The Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius, which experienced a deadly hantavirus outbreak, is scheduled to arrive at Tenerife, Spain, tomorrow. Spain's Interior Minister today said arrangements have been made for some passengers to return to their home countries, and the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General reiterated that the risk is low.
Agence France-Presse reported that WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus today issued an open letter to the residents of Tenerife, stating: 'This is not another COVID-19 (2019 novel coronavirus disease). The public health risk posed by hantavirus currently remains low.'
He also stated: 'Spain's decision to allow this ship to dock, I personally thank Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. I call this an act of solidarity and moral responsibility, because it truly is.'
Spain's Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska announced today at a press conference that flights have been arranged to transport MV Hondius passengers back to five European Union (EU) member states, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and France.
He also stated that if passengers are from non-EU countries, or if their home countries do not have air resources to transport them back, the Spanish authorities are working with the Netherlands, the shipowner, and insurance companies to find solutions. (Compiler: Chang Cheng-chien) 1150509
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(Central News Agency, Geneva/Madrid, May 9th, comprehensive foreign wire report) The Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius, which experienced a deadly hantavirus outbreak, is scheduled to arrive at Tenerife, Spain, tomorrow. Spain's Interior Minister today said arrangements have been made for some passengers to return to their home countries, and the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General reiterated that the risk is low.
Agence France-Presse reported that WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus today issued an open letter to the residents of Tenerife, stating: 'This is not another COVID-19 (2019 novel coronavirus disease). The public health risk posed by hantavirus currently remains low.'
He also stated: 'Spain's decision to allow this ship to dock, I personally thank Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. I call this an act of solidarity and moral responsibility, because it truly is.'
Spain's Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska announced today at a press conference that flights have been arranged to transport MV Hondius passengers back to five European Union (EU) member states, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and France.
He also stated that if passengers are from non-EU countries, or if their home countries do not have air resources to transport them back, the Spanish authorities are working with the Netherlands, the shipowner, and insurance companies to find solutions. (Compiler: Chang Cheng-chien) 1150509
Stand with facts, every sponsorship you provide is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency 'First-hand News' APP to get the latest news instantly.
Text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.