Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organisation, maintains there are ‘no signs’ a pandemic is on the cards after cases of the rodent-borne disease were identified on the MV Hondius cruise ship last month.

But he told a press conference in Madrid: ‘Of course, the situation could change.

‘And given the long incubation period of the virus, it’s possible we might see more cases in the coming weeks.’

Three people who were aboard the cruise ship sailing the Atlantic Ocean have died of the rare but fatal disease.

At least 85 guests and 35 crew members have been evacuated from the vessel, tour operator Oceania Expeditions said on Monday.

At least eight other people who were on the ship have fallen ill or tested positive. Among them are a US citizen and a French woman, 65, both of whom tested positive after being evacuated.

Ghebreyesus said the 150 people aboard the ship have faced ‘a very frightening situation’.

‘Some of the passengers were facing mental breakdown,’ he added. ‘They have the right to be treated with dignity and compassion.

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People evacuated off the Hantavirus cruise ship have been advised to self-isolate for 42 days. Globally, the World Health Organization has recommended ‘active follow-up’ which includes daily checks for symptoms like fever and muscle aches. Experts are reiterating that transmission is rare and this should not be treated like covid. #hantavirus #worldhealthorganization #worldnews♬ Everything In Its Right Place – SAD

‘There were some people around the world calling for the passengers to be contained on the ship for the full quarantine period.

‘Our view was that it would have been inhumane and unnecessary.’

Dr Stathis Giotis, of the University of Essex, told Metro: ‘WHO comment is probably more reassuring than alarming when taken in context.

‘When WHO says “more cases are likely to emerge”, that is because there are already known exposed individuals from MV Hondius being monitored, and hantavirus can have a relatively long incubation period.

‘So from a public health perspective, additional cases among passengers or close contacts would not be entirely unexpected.’

Passengers were flown back from Tenerife, in the Spanish Canary Islands, to their home countries on Sunday and Monday.

Read More Here: https://metro.co.uk/2026/05/13/chief-warns-will-hantavirus-cases-coming-weeks-28349823/