TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The World Health Organization (WHO) has assessed that the risk of hantavirus spread linked to cases detected among passengers aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean remains relatively low.
"As of 4 May 2026, since 1 April when the ship set sail, there have been seven hantavirus cases (two confirmed and five suspected), including three deaths," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday on the social media platform X.
“Based on current information, WHO assesses the risk to the global population as low and will continue to monitor and update on the situation.”
Earlier, the WHO said the Andes strain of hantavirus had been detected on the cruise ship MV Hondius, with diagnoses confirmed through tests conducted in laboratories in South Africa and Switzerland.
The total number of confirmed infections has risen to eight after an additional case was identified in a patient who had returned to Switzerland. Three of the infected patients have died.
In response, Spain has agreed to allow the vessel, which is currently sailing near Cape Verde, to dock in the Canary Islands under international law and humanitarian principles.
Upon arrival in the Canary Islands, passengers and crew will undergo medical screening and be managed through dedicated facilities and transport systems prepared for treatment and evacuation.
The process will follow World Health Organization (WHO) and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) protocols to ensure safety standards. The coordinated international response also includes detailed investigations, case isolation and care, medical evacuation, and laboratory testing.
“The process will be carried out in a way that avoids any contact with the local population,” added Ghebreyesus.
According to the WHO website, hantavirus is a group of viruses transmitted by rodents and can cause severe disease in humans.
Transmission occurs through contact with urine, droppings, or saliva of infected rodents. In rarer cases, infection can also occur through rodent bites.
Early symptoms often resemble influenza and appear one to eight weeks after exposure, including fever and chills, muscle aches, headache, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. In advanced stages, patients may experience severe breathing difficulties as fluid fills the lungs.
Read: Indonesia Ramps Up Hantavirus Screening Amid Cruise Ship Cases
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