Lagos, May 10, 2026- The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has appealed to residents of Tenerife, Spain, to remain calm over the planned arrival of passengers aboard the MV Hondius following a hantavirus outbreak on the vessel.
Tedros, in an open letter addressed to the people of Tenerife on Sunday, said the public health risk posed by the outbreak remained low and assured residents that extensive safety measures had been put in place by Spanish authorities and the WHO.
According to him, the virus involved is the Andes strain of hantavirus, which has claimed three lives aboard the ship.
He, however, stressed that there were currently no symptomatic passengers on board and that WHO experts and medical supplies had already been deployed to the vessel.
“The current public health risk from hantavirus remains low. This is not another COVID,” Tedros said.
He explained that passengers would be brought ashore through a controlled operation at the industrial port of Granadilla, away from residential areas.
The WHO chief added that the passengers would be transported in sealed and guarded vehicles through a restricted corridor before being repatriated directly to their home countries.
“You will not encounter them. Your families will not encounter them,” he assured residents.
Tedros said he had personally thanked Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez for agreeing to receive the ship, describing the decision as “an act of solidarity and moral duty.”
He noted that the WHO’s request to Spain was made in line with the International Health Regulations, which guide the global response to public health emergencies.
According to him, Tenerife was selected because of its medical capacity, infrastructure and preparedness to manage the operation safely.
The WHO chief also announced plans to travel to Tenerife to observe the operation firsthand and support health workers and officials involved in the exercise.
“As I have said many times: viruses do not care about politics, and they do not respect borders. The best immunity any of us has is solidarity,” he said.
Tedros commended the ship’s captain, Jan Dobrogowski, the crew and the vessel’s operating company for their cooperation during the incident.
He also thanked the people of Tenerife for their understanding and compassion toward the passengers and crew members affected by the outbreak.
