Spain evacuates passengers from Hantavirus-hit cruise ship as WHO reports low pandemic risk
A plane carrying passengers from the hantavirus-affected cruise ship MV Hondius has departed Tenerife for Madrid, after the vessel docked at the port of Granadilla in Spain’s Canary Islands.
The first flight, carrying Spanish nationals, left on Sunday. Upon arrival in Madrid, passengers suspected of infection will be transferred to a military hospital for testing, observation, and treatment.
They will remain under quarantine, Spanish Health Minister Monica García confirmed, adding that the evacuation operation is proceeding smoothly.
The MV Hondius, which reported the outbreak to the World Health Organization (WHO) on May 2, 2026, has passengers and crew from more than 20 countries, including the US, UK, France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Australia.
Some of the crew members, as well as the body of a passenger who died on board, will remain on the ship until it sails to Rotterdam, the Netherlands, where it will undergo disinfection.
The WHO says the global pandemic risk remains "low" but will continue to track the situation closely and revise its assessment if necessary. The risk to passengers and crew on the Hondius is considered moderate.
On Sunday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reiterated that the chance of a pandemic on the scale of COVID-19 is still low.
As of Friday, eight severe cases and three deaths have been confirmed. Symptoms of hantavirus typically appear between one and eight weeks after exposure.
The ship remains anchored off Tenerife as health authorities continue managing the situation.
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