The head of the World Health Organization announced on Saturday that he had reached Spain and will work with government representatives to supervise the disembarkation of a cruise ship affected by the hantavirus in the Canary Islands.
“I arrived in Spain, where I will join senior government officials in a mission to Tenerife to oversee safe disembarkation of the passengers, crew members and health experts from MV Hondius cruise ship,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X.
The uncommon illness, which often spreads among rodents, has claimed the lives of three passengers from the MV Hondius, including a German woman and a Dutch husband and wife.
The Andes virus, the only strain of hantavirus that can spread from person to person, has been identified in individuals who tested positive, raising concerns around the world.
The Dutch-flagged vessel, which has around 150 people on board, is expected to arrive at the Spanish Canary Island of Tenerife on Sunday. Special flights will then take passengers to their home countries.
Tedros said he was “in direct communication with captain Jan Dobrogowski and WHO colleague on board Dr Freddy Banza-Mutoka, who told me that, at this stage, there are no additional people on board showing symptoms of hantavirus”.
“WHO continues to actively monitor the situation, coordinate support and next steps and will keep Member States and the public updated accordingly,” he said, stressing that “so far, the risk for the population of Canary Islands and globally remains low”.
According to the Spanish prime minister’s office, Tedros will meet Pedro Sanchez at his official house on Saturday at 1500 GMT before leaving for the Spanish archipelago.
Tedros will aid Spain’s recuperation.and interior ministers to a position of authorityaccording to Spanish government sources, “to ensure coordination between administrations, health control, and the application of the planned surveillance and response protocols” in Tenerife.
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