May 9, 2026 — Spanish and international authorities are preparing to receive the Dutch-flagged cruise ship MV Hondius in Tenerife after an outbreak of hantavirus linked to the vessel.
Situation overview
The Hondius, carrying more than 140 passengers and crew, is due to arrive off Tenerife early Sunday. At least three people who sailed on the ship have died since it left Argentina on April 1; authorities say not all deaths have been definitively attributed to hantavirus. The World Health Organization has confirmed six laboratory-confirmed infections so far, all identified as the Andes strain of hantavirus, which can, in rare circumstances, spread between people.
WHO involvement and Spanish response
WHO Secretary-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has been in contact with the ship’s captain and a WHO colleague on board, and he planned to join Spanish officials in Tenerife to help oversee safe disembarkation and coordination of the response. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was scheduled to meet Tedros ahead of the evacuations.
Spanish health officials say the ship will not dock in the usual passenger area. The Hondius will anchor offshore near the port of Granadilla and passengers and crew will be transferred to a dedicated, cordoned-off area for processing. Evacuations and repatriation flights are being coordinated with multiple countries, and authorities emphasized that the risk to the general population in the Canary Islands and beyond remains low.
Evacuations and logistics
Spain has said evacuations must be carried out promptly because of a limited weather window. Authorities expect to move people onto planes on Sunday and into Monday before conditions worsen. Flights have been arranged or coordinated for citizens of countries including the Netherlands, Germany, France, Belgium, Ireland, the UK and the US; the US has confirmed plans for a repatriation flight for American nationals.
Patients, testing and tracing
There have been several suspected cases and close contacts identified in different countries. Four patients remain hospitalized in South Africa, the Netherlands and Switzerland. A number of passengers who had close contact with infected people were evacuated earlier in the voyage, for example from Cape Verde. Some suspected cases tested negative — including a KLM flight attendant who had mild symptoms after contact with an infected passenger. Spanish authorities are also monitoring a woman in Alicante who was on the same flight as a confirmed case; she is in isolation while PCR tests are carried out.
Origins and investigation
Investigations have not yet identified a definitive source. Argentine officials say it is unlikely the infections occurred in Tierra del Fuego, and investigators suspect a Dutch couple may have been infected before boarding during a bird-watching trip.
Public health message
WHO and national officials have repeatedly stressed the outbreak poses minimal risk to the wider public. Hantavirus is dangerous to those infected, but human-to-human transmission of the Andes strain is generally limited and typically requires close contact. Authorities are prioritizing careful screening, contact tracing, testing and planned protective measures during disembarkation and repatriation.
What to expect next
Officials in Tenerife will oversee disembarkation into an isolated area, coordinate onward flights, and apply international protocols for ship disinfection before the Hondius continues to the Netherlands for further measures. Health agencies worldwide continue to trace passengers, monitor contacts and share test results as they work to contain any further spread.