13.05.2026 10:05
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in his statement regarding the hantavirus outbreak, warned that new cases could be seen in the coming weeks. Stating that the outbreak does not currently indicate a greater threat, Ghebreyesus drew attention to the long incubation period and called on the world public to be cautious.
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus spoke at a press conference held in Madrid, the capital of Spain. Ghebreyesus thanked Spain for showing 'solidarity' by accepting the ship that was in distress.
"WE MAY SEE NEW CASES"
Noting that the current situation does not indicate a larger outbreak, Ghebreyesus said, "However, given the length of the incubation period, it is likely that we will see new cases in the coming weeks."
HANTAVIRUS CASES ON THE SHIP
The Dutch-flagged luxury cruise ship MV Hondius departed from the port of Ushuaia, Argentina on April 1.
On the ship, a 70-year-old Dutch person died on April 11, and during visits to Tristan da Cunha, Inaccessible Island, and Nightingale Island in West Africa between April 13-16, 6 more passengers boarded the ship. According to records from that period, it was stated that there were a total of 180 passengers and crew.
When the ship arrived at Saint Helena, about 30 passengers, along with the body of the deceased passenger and his symptomatic Dutch wife, disembarked.
The Dutch woman who went to Johannesburg died on April 26.
A male British passenger showing symptoms also disembarked from the ship on April 27 along with his American friend.
On May 2, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that hantavirus cases had been seen on the MV Hondius while it was in Cabo Verde, and on May 3, with the death of a German female passenger, the number of people who died from the virus while traveling on this ship increased to 3.
After Capo Verde authorities did not allow the ship to dock or any person to disembark, following negotiations between WHO and Spain, it was decided on May 5 to bring the MV Hondius to Tenerife to disembark the passengers.
Among the passengers evacuated from Tenerife, 1 French and 1 American also tested positive for hantavirus upon returning to their countries.
ABOUT HANTAVIRUS
Hantavirus is known as a disease mostly transmitted from rodents.
The virus, which is transmitted by inhaling air mixed with dried feces, urine, and saliva of rodents, and sometimes through rodent bites or scratches, shows symptoms such as fever, fatigue, and muscle pain.
The virus, which can also cause respiratory failure, sometimes progresses in the form of internal bleeding and kidney failure.