WHO chief heads to Canary Islands as cruise ship Hantavirus evacuation begins

MADRID — World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is set to travel to Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands to oversee coordination efforts for the evacuation of passengers from a cruise ship linked to a Hantavirus outbreak, according to reports Friday.Tedros will join Spanish health and interior officials at a command center aimed at coordinating health measures, surveillance protocols, and repatriation operations.Regional authorities said the evacuation must take place between Sunday and Monday due to worsening weather conditions in the Canary Islands.Officials said the vessel is expected to arrive off Tenerife early Sunday and anchor offshore, with passengers transferred by smaller boats before being flown back to their home countries.The operation involves nearly 150 passengers and crew members from 23 countries aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius.The outbreak has raised international concern after three deaths were reported among passengers since the ship departed from Argentina in April.Earlier evacuations had already taken place near Cape Verde, while European Union countries are expected to coordinate the repatriation of their nationals.Health authorities also reported two additional suspected Hantavirus cases in Spain and Tristan da Cunha linked to the same outbreak cluster.Despite the cases, the WHO has repeatedly stated that the risk to the general public remains low.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) classified the outbreak as a “Level 3” emergency response, the lowest emergency activation level.According to WHO officials, the outbreak involves the Andes strain of Hantavirus and has so far resulted in five confirmed cases, including three deaths.The ship reportedly crossed the Atlantic from Argentina before respiratory illness cases emerged while sailing near Cape Verde.