The head of the World Health Organization has said he will personally oversee the evacuation of more than 100 passengers from a cruise ship affected by a hantavirus outbreak. The vessel is heading toward Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands as international health authorities coordinate a complex medical evacuation operation.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he will travel to Tenerife to monitor the evacuation process. He said the mission is intended to support health workers, port officials, and emergency teams handling the situation. Authorities expect the ship to arrive near the island before dawn on Sunday.
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Health officials confirmed that eight people onboard have tested positive or are suspected of having hantavirus, while three deaths have already been reported. The ship currently carries 147 people, including 60 crew members. Officials said no other passengers are showing symptoms at this stage.
The evacuation plan involves transferring passengers in small boats to shore before transporting them to designated quarantine facilities. American passengers will be flown to a quarantine center in Nebraska under supervision from US health authorities. Other countries are also arranging separate evacuation and isolation procedures.
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WHO officials stressed that the public health risk remains low despite the severity of the outbreak. They said most hantavirus strains are not transmitted between humans, although the variant detected on the ship can spread through close contact. Authorities emphasized strict isolation protocols to prevent further infections.