WHO chief moves to calm hantavirus fears

As memories of Covid-19 continue to shape how countries across the globe respond to disease outbreaks, World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has issued a rare personal message seeking to calm fears over the reported hantavirus outbreak.

Tedros has acknowledged the anxiety triggered by news of an outbreak aboard the vessel MV Hondius, while reassuring the globe and residents of Tenerife that the public health risk of the disease remains low.

The WHO chief stressed that the virus involved is the Andes strain of hantavirus and not another Covid-like threat, even as authorities manage disembarkation plans for passengers aboard the ship.

The message comes at a time when even isolated outbreaks continue to trigger global concerns, reflecting lingering trauma from the coronavirus pandemic that disrupted lives, economies and healthcare systems worldwide.

At least eight cases have been reported, with three deaths, following an outbreak of rodents caused by disease.

“My name is Tedros, and I serve as the Director-General of the World Health Organisation, the United Nations agency responsible for global public health,” he wrote, adding that he wanted to speak directly to residents “not through press releases or technical briefings, but as one human being to another.”

Tedros acknowledged widespread anxiety surrounding the arrival of the cruise vessel MV Hondius, which has been linked to the Andes strain of hantavirus and where three deaths have been reported.

“I know you are worried,” Dr Tedros wrote. “I know that when you hear the word outbreak and watch a ship sail toward your shores, memories surface that none of us has fully put to rest. The pain of 2020 is still real.”

Seeking to dispel fears of another global health emergency, Tedros stressed that the incident should not be compared to the coronavirus pandemic.

“But I need you to hear me clearly: this is not another Covid. The current public health risk from hantavirus remains low,” said the WHO boss.

While describing the virus as serious, Tedros said the risk to Tenerife residents remains minimal, emphasising that the WHO’s assessment was made carefully and not lightly.

He further reassured residents that no symptomatic passengers remain on board the vessel, and that a WHO expert is currently deployed on the ship, alongside medical supplies and response teams.

According to Tedros, Spanish authorities have already developed a controlled operation to manage disembarkation, with passengers expected to be ferried ashore at the industrial port of Granadilla, away from residential zones, before being moved in sealed and guarded vehicles through a restricted corridor for direct repatriation to their home countries.

“You will not encounter them. Your families will not encounter them,” he wrote.

Beyond science and containment measures, Tedros framed Spain’s decision to receive the ship as an act of international solidarity.

He said he had personally thanked Pedro Sánchez for Spain’s decision, describing it as an act of “solidarity and moral duty.”

Tedros explained that the WHO’s request to Spain was made in accordance with International Health Regulations, which require identification of the nearest port with adequate medical capacity to ensure safety and dignity for those aboard.

“Tenerife met that standard. Spain honoured it,” he noted.

With nearly 150 passengers from 23 countries reportedly stranded at sea for weeks, Tedros said the island had been selected because of its medical capacity, infrastructure and willingness to help.

He also announced plans to travel to Tenerife personally to observe the operation first-hand, support health workers and pay tribute to local officials and residents handling the situation.

“Your humanity deserves to be witnessed, not just acknowledged from a distance,” he wrote.

Calling solidarity, the world’s strongest protection against disease threats, Tedros reminded residents that “viruses do not care about politics, and they do not respect borders.”

“The best immunity any of us has is solidarity,” he added.

Further, Tedros thanked Tenerife residents, the ship’s captain Jan Dobrogowski, crew members and the vessel’s operators for their cooperation, urging the public to trust the preparations put in place and continue supporting one another.

The unusual direct communication by the WHO chief highlights the continuing emotional weight of pandemic-era memories, as even limited outbreaks continue to trigger heightened public concern worldwide.

The disease was first reported on April 6, 2026, when a passenger aboard the MV Hondius developed symptoms while the vessel was sailing from Argentina. It was an Antarctic expedition cruise.

Hantavirus is a family of viruses spread primarily by rodents, including mice and rats.

The disease is transmitted by breathing in air contaminated with rodent urine, faeces and saliva.

Individuals infected present with respiratory or renal complications.