World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday stated that the hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship does not resemble the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, even as international health authorities continue to monitor the situation closely.
Tedros clarified, “No, I don’t think so,” when asked if the current hantavirus situation was similar to the early days of the Covid-19 crisis.
Three suspected #hantavirus case patients have just been evacuated from the ship and are on their way to receive medical care in the Netherlands in coordination with @WHO, the ship’s operator and national authorities from Cabo Verde, the United Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands.… pic.twitter.com/olQBk6tdGk
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) May 6, 2026
As on Wednesday, eight cases have been reported from the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius cruise ship, out of which three have been laboratory-confirmed as Andes hantavirus. The confirmation was made by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases in South Africa and Geneva University Hospitals in Switzerland.
Three suspected patients evacuated
Three suspected hantavirus patients were evacuated from the ship and airlifted to the Netherlands for advanced medical care. Two air ambulances left Cape Verde on Wednesday, with the larger aircraft heading to the Netherlands. The passengers and crew are being closely monitored.
One passenger who had already disembarked earlier responded to an email from the ship’s operator and sought medical attention in Zurich, Switzerland. Swiss authorities have confirmed hantavirus in his case. He is currently receiving treatment.
Swiss authorities have confirmed a case of #hantavirus identified in a passenger from the MV Hondius cruise ship.
He had responded to an email from the ship’s operator informing the passengers of the health event, and presented himself to a hospital in Zurich, Switzerland, and… pic.twitter.com/4mmBd7qSA4
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) May 6, 2026
Background of the outbreak
The MV Hondius set sail from Ushuaia in Argentina on April 1 for an Atlantic voyage. The ship, which has 88 passengers and 59 crew members from 23 nationalities, has been anchored off Cape Verde since Sunday after three passenger deaths were reported with suspected hantavirus.
Global response
In line with the International Health Regulations (IHR), WHO is coordinating with multiple countries including Cabo Verde, the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, South Africa, Senegal and Argentina for international contact tracing and monitoring.
Support from global laboratories such as Institut Pasteur de Dakar (Senegal) and ANLIS Malbrán (Argentina) has been crucial in identifying the virus and managing the response.
WHO has stated that the overall public health risk remains low at this stage. The organisation is working with the ship’s operator to monitor the health of all passengers and crew, both onboard and those who have already disembarked. Necessary medical follow-up and evacuation are being arranged wherever required.
Tedros thanked all countries and partners involved for their swift cooperation in handling the situation.
(With AFP inputs)