WHO chief arrives in Spain before hantavirus-hit ship evacuation

Geneva: The World Health Organization chief said Saturday he had arrived in Spain and would join government officials to oversee the disembarkation of a hantavirus-hit cruise ship in the Canary Islands.

"I arrived in Spain, where I will join senior government officials in a mission to Tenerife to oversee safe disembarkation of the passengers, crew members and health experts from MV Hondius cruise ship," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X.

Three passengers from the MV Hondius -- a Dutch husband and wife and a German woman -- have died, while others have fallen sick with the rare disease, which usually spreads among rodents.

The only hantavirus strain that can transmit from person to person -- Andes virus -- has been confirmed among those who have tested positive, fuelling international concern.

The Dutch-flagged vessel, which has around 150 people on board, is expected to arrive at the Spanish Canary Island of Tenerife on Sunday. Special flights will then take passengers to their home countries.

Tedros said he was "in direct communication with captain Jan Dobrogowski and WHO colleague on board Dr Freddy Banza-Mutoka, who told me that, at this stage, there are no additional people on board showing symptoms of hantavirus".

"WHO continues to actively monitor the situation, coordinate support and next steps and will keep Member States and the public updated accordingly," he said, stressing that "so far, the risk for the population of Canary Islands and globally remains low".

The Spanish prime minister's office said that Tedros would meet Pedro Sanchez at his official residence at 1500 GMT Saturday, before he leaves for the Spanish archipelago.

Tedros will accompany Spain's health and interior ministers to a command post in Tenerife "to ensure coordination between administrations, health control, and the application of the planned surveillance and response protocols", Spanish ministry sources said.