WHO Head Will Oversee Evacuation of Passengers, Crew From Hantavirus-Stricken Cruise Ship

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: US News & World Report/AP

May 9, 2026, at 7:03 a.m.


TENERIFE, Spain (AP) — The head of the World Health Organization arrived in Spain on Saturday to oversee the evacuation of more than 140 passengers and crew from a hantavirus-stricken cruise ship headed to the Canary Islands.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he would be heading to the Spanish island of Tenerife off the coast of West Africa, along with senior Spanish government officials, “to oversee safe disembarkation of the passengers, crew members and health experts.”

The Dutch-flagged ship, the MV Hondius, is expected to arrive in Tenerife in the early hours of Sunday. Tedros said that at this point, nobody on board the Hondius was showing symptoms of the virus.

“WHO continues to actively monitor the situation, coordinate support and next steps and will keep Member States and the public updated accordingly. So far, the risk for the population of Canary Islands and globally remains low,” he posted on X. Spain’s Health Minister Monica Garcia said on Friday she would be heading to Tenerife with Tedros and Interior Fernando Grande-Marlaska to coordinate the disembarkation. Passengers will be isolated

Read more: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2026-05-09/who-head-will-oversee-evacuation-of-passengers-crew-from-hantavirus-stricken-cruise-ship

[Turbineguy]

1. I wonder if the discussion included.....

"Should we get the Americans involved?"

[bucolic_frolic]

2. Possibly contagious for 6 weeks I read somewhere

Who thinks they've got this? 6 weeks quarantine won't happen until someone is sick. By that time it could be spreading.

[Hugin]

4. Yeah, it's got a long hang time.

I guess it’s got some way to remain virulent in various settings. Mere dust stirring can spread the common types for years apparently.

[twodogsbarking]

3. What are the real research scientists' conclusions or haven't they had the time to reach proper conclusions?

It is a puzzle to me and some pieces are missing or won't fit.

[not fooled]

5. Well, that's reassuring

Actual experts will be in charge.

[dickthegrouch]

6. I'll bet RFK Jr meets them without a mask!

When they arrive in their supposedly secure quarantine site.
I'll bet these rich pricks will assert that they've been imprisoned without due process or some such BS.
Free to infect the rest of us at will.

I still ask why so many governments are so hell bent on reducing the planetary population in such a wanton fashion?

Are they really trying to save us from spaceships with giant fridges arriving, ala movie "To Serve Man"?

[karynnj]

7. This was a nature cruise going to places including Antartica

Knowing just that, I don't buy your assumption on the passengers. Obviously, they are wealthy enough to support the trip, but I suspect they are more likely not MAGA at all.

[Prairie Gates]

8. They should evacuate everyone but the Americans

Americans have decided in two elections that the WHO is worthless.