WHO Director-General Tedros Urges Continued Vigilance After MV Hondius Hantavirus Evacuation; Global Risk Assessed as Low

Following a fatal hantavirus outbreak aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus held a press conference in Madrid on May 12, 2026, stating that containment work is ongoing but the global public health risk remains low. Three passengers died from the rare virus, which lacks approved vaccines or specific treatments. Over 120 passengers and crew were evacuated from Spain's Canary Islands on May 11–12. WHO guidelines recommend 42-day quarantine and close monitoring of high-risk contacts; however, the United States declined mandatory quarantine for its returning citizens. Tedros acknowledged the possibility of additional cases given the virus's long incubation period but emphasized no evidence suggests a larger outbreak. The incident also highlighted diplomatic tensions, as Cape Verde initially refused to receive the vessel.