The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed five cases of Hantavirus and three deaths linked to an outbreak on a cruise ship currently sailing to the Canary Islands, where it is expected to dock by the weekend.

This was disclosed during a press briefing on May 7, 2026, where WHO director general Tedros Ghebreyesus urged the public to remain calm and avoid panic.

“We appreciate that countries are at an alert and awareness is being created, but urge everyone to stay calm as the disease risk to the general public is low,” he said.

Health experts emphasized that early detection, strong surveillance, contact tracing, disease monitoring, and effective information sharing among health institutions and national governments have been critical in containing the outbreak.

Maria Van Kerkhove, head of emerging diseases and zoonoses at WHO, noted that the remains of the deceased are still on board the ship. She explained that protocols are underway to communicate with their families while ensuring dignity is maintained.

“These people are humans and have families. We will respect their dignity while keeping in touch with their families as regards observing their burial rites,” she said.

Read Also: https://businessday.ng/health/article/hantavirus-how-hand-hygiene-prevents-the-spread-of-infectious-diseases/

Experts also noted that the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention(US-CDC) has been actively involved in information sharing and providing technical support for contact tracing and disease monitoring.

“With Americans onboard the ship, the US CDC has been very effective in offering technical support in containing the disease,”Ghebreyesus, WHO director general, added.

He further called for global cooperation among governments and institutions to strengthen containment efforts.

“The best immunity we have is global solidarity,” he said. “Any vacuum created or loose ends not closed could be an avenue for the spread of the disease.”

Recall that the outbreak was first reported to WHO on May 2, 2026, following a cluster of passengers who were aboard a cruise ship, sailing from Argentina to Cape Verde, carrying 150 passengers and crew.

By May 4, a total of seven cases had been identified, including two laboratory confirmed cases of hantavirus and five suspected cases. These included three deaths, one critically ill patient, and three individuals with mild symptoms.

Symptoms began between April 6 and April 28 and included fever, gastrointestinal issues, rapid progression to pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and shock.

The outbreak response involves coordinated international efforts, including case isolation and care, medical evacuation, laboratory investigations, and in-depth epidemiological analysis.

Hantavirus infection in humans is primarily transmitted through contact with the urine, faeces, or saliva of infected rodents. It is a rare but potentially fatal disease.

While uncommon, limited human to human transmission has been reported in past outbreaks involving the Andes virus, a specific strain of hantavirus.
WHO currently assesses the risk to the global population as low and continues to monitor the situation while updating its risk assessment as new information emerges.