Hantavirus outbreak risk to public is 'absolutely low', WHO says
Key takeaways
- The World Health Organization on Friday reiterated that a hantavirus outbreak risk to the general public is "absolutely low".
- By: FRANCE 24 Health workers in protective gear evacuate patients from the MV Hondius cruise ship at a port in Praia, Cape Verde, May 6, 2026.
- 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.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
The World Health Organization on Friday reiterated that a hantavirus outbreak risk to the general public is "absolutely low". Three passengers from the MV Hondius have died while others have fallen sick with the rare disease, which usually spreads among rodents. The vessel has around 150 people on board and is expected to arrive in the Spanish Canary Island of Tenerife on Sunday.
By: FRANCE 24 Health workers in protective gear evacuate patients from the MV Hondius cruise ship at a port in Praia, Cape Verde, May 6, 2026. © Misper Apawu, AP The World Health Organization insisted Friday that there is a minimal risk from the hantavirus to the general public, as countries prepared to repatriate passengers stuck on a cruise ship hit by a deadly outbreak.
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.