Summary
- Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus issued a direct plea to residents of Tenerife
- WHO insists the hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius poses a low public risk
- Tedros confirmed he will personally travel to Tenerife to oversee the operation
NAIROBI, Kenya- Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has issued an emotional public message to residents of Tenerife as authorities prepare to receive passengers from the virus-stricken MV Hondius.
In a lengthy statement posted on X, the World Health Organization chief sought to calm growing fears over the suspected hantavirus outbreak linked to the cruise ship, insisting: “This is not another COVID-19.”
Tedros reassures Tenerife residents over hantavirus threat
Tedros acknowledged that many residents were anxious about the ship’s arrival, especially after the trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, he stressed that the current public health risk remains low.
“The virus aboard the MV Hondius is the Andes strain of hantavirus. It is serious. Three people have lost their lives,” Tedros wrote.
“But the risk to you, living your daily life in Tenerife, is low.”
According to the WHO chief, there are currently no symptomatic passengers onboard the ship.
He also revealed that a WHO expert is already aboard the vessel and that Spain has put in place a tightly controlled operation to prevent exposure to residents.
Passengers will reportedly be ferried through a secured corridor using sealed and guarded vehicles before being repatriated to their home countries.
“You will not encounter them. Your families will not encounter them,” Tedros assured residents.
Why Spain agreed to receive the MV Hondius
Tedros praised Pedro Sánchez and the Spanish government for accepting the ship despite public fears.
He described the move as “an act of solidarity and moral duty.”
According to the WHO chief, Spain’s decision followed international health regulations requiring the nearest suitable port with adequate medical capacity to assist passengers during public health emergencies.
“Tenerife has been chosen because it has the medical capacity, the infrastructure, and the humanity to help them reach safety,” he said.
The MV Hondius has been at the centre of international concern after multiple passengers reportedly contracted the rare Andes strain of hantavirus during the voyage across the Atlantic.
The outbreak has already claimed three lives and triggered contact tracing operations involving multiple countries.
Tedros says he will personally travel to Tenerife
In one of the strongest signals yet of WHO involvement, Tedros announced he plans to personally travel to Tenerife to observe the operation.
He said he wanted to stand alongside health workers, port officials and emergency teams coordinating the response.
“Your humanity deserves to be witnessed,” he wrote.
Tedros also praised the ship’s captain, crew and operators for cooperating with health authorities throughout the crisis.
The WHO has repeatedly stressed that the outbreak is limited and not comparable to the scale or transmission risk seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Still, officials continue monitoring passengers and crew closely as investigations into the source and spread of the virus continue.
