The UN Secretary-General has responded to the outbreak of the deadly hantavirus
UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued a statement regarding the critical situation aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius, where a deadly outbreak of hantavirus has been reported.
The head of the organization emphasized the need for coordinated action by international agencies to protect the people on board the ship.
The situation on the MV Hondius, which was sailing in the South Atlantic, drew the attention of the international community following reports of the first fatalities.
António Guterres expressed his full support for the Spanish government and other countries currently coordinating efforts to address the consequences of the outbreak.
“I want to express my support for the Spanish government and other countries as they address the hantavirus situation in close coordination with our colleagues,” the UN Secretary-General noted in his official statement.
He emphasized that international cooperation is a key factor in containing the spread of the virus.
As of May 11, 2026, there are eight confirmed cases of the disease, three of which have been fatal.
According to preliminary data from the World Health Organization (WHO), the pathogen is the Andes virus—a specific type of hantavirus capable of human-to-human transmission.
Despite the seriousness of the situation on the ship itself, Guterres noted that the overall risk to public health outside the ship remains low.
However, he insists that international medical services must ensure the highest level of safety for passengers and crew members during their evacuation and quarantine.
The MV Hondius has already arrived at the port of Granadilla on the island of Tenerife (Canary Islands), where Spanish authorities have launched a large-scale operation to disembark the passengers.
Passengers are being distributed among special flights for repatriation to their home countries, where a mandatory quarantine period awaits them.
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