3 weeks ago
Hantavirus outbreak: Cruise vessel evacuates amid concerns for US passengers
A deadly hantavirus outbreak connected a Dutch cruise vessel has prompted a world wellness operation. Three passengers person died, and 150 are evacuating to nan Canary Islands, pinch U.S. states monitoring 17 American returnees. The WHO clarifies debased human-to-human dispersed for nan Andes microorganism strain, dissimilar COVID-19, and nan CDC classifies this arsenic a Level 3 emergency.
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17 Americans will beryllium among nan 150 group evacuated from nan M/V Hondius cruise vessel aft an outbreak of a strain of Hantavirus arsenic nan World Health Organization's caput tells nan nationalist that nan trending microorganism "is not different COVID-19."
The cruise ship, which will anchor disconnected nan seashore of Spain's Canary Islands connected Sunday, will beryllium followed soon aft by Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, nan Director-General of nan World Health Organization (WHO).
In a lengthy Saturday greeting message posted to X, Ghebreyesus assured nan globe that nan consequence Hantavirus poses to nationalist wellness remains low.
"I cognize you are worried. I cognize that erstwhile you perceive nan connection 'outbreak' and watch a vessel sail toward your shores, memories aboveground that nary of america person afloat put to rest," Ghebreyesus wrote.
"The symptom of 2020 is still real, and I do not disregard it for a azygous moment. But I request you to perceive maine clearly: this is not different COVID-19. The existent nationalist wellness consequence from Hantavirus remains low. My colleagues and I person said this unequivocally, and I will opportunity it again to you now," he continued.
DR MARC SIEGEL: HANTAVIRUS CRUISE OUTBREAK IS ALARMING BUT FEAR IS SPREADING FASTER THAN FACTS
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of nan World Health Organization, speaks during an event. (Lian Yi/Xinhua)
Ghebreyesus claimed he would beryllium personally visiting Tenerife, nan Canary isle wherever passengers will get aft evacuating nan cruise ship.
"I intend to travel to Tenerife to observe this cognition firsthand, to guidelines alongside nan wellness workers, larboard staff, and officials who are making it happen, and to personally salary my respects to an land that has responded to a difficult business pinch grace, solidarity, and compassion," he wrote.
Health workers disembark from nan Dutch-flagged MV Hondius cruise vessel disconnected Cape Verde connected May 4, 2026, aft 3 passengers died and respective others fell earnestly sick successful a suspected hantavirus outbreak. (Qasem Elhato/AP)
"Your humanity deserves to beryllium witnessed, not conscionable acknowledged from a distance. As I person said galore times: viruses do not attraction astir politics, and they do not respect borders. The champion immunity immoderate of america has is solidarity," nan WHO caput continued.
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Despite his assurances, however, Dr. Tedros besides warned nan nationalist to enactment vigilant against nan microorganism which has already claimed 3 lives connected nan cruise ship.
"The virus aboard nan MV Hondius is nan Andes strain of hantavirus. It is serious. Three group person mislaid their lives, and our hearts spell retired to their families," he wrote, though again reiterated that nationalist wellness consequence was low.
The cruise vessel MV Hondius is stationary disconnected nan larboard of Praia, Cape Verde, connected May 3, 2026, amid an outbreak of terrible acute respiratory unwellness that has caused 2 deaths and near a 3rd diligent successful intensive attraction successful Johannesburg, South Africa. The diligent tested affirmative for hantavirus, according to South African wellness officials. (AFP via Getty Images)
The U.S. authorities is readying connected further evacuating nan American passengers to a subject guidelines successful Nebraska for quarantine and monitoring, Fox News Digital antecedently reported.
President Donald Trump weighed successful connected nan outbreak personally, telling reporters Friday, "We person very bully group looking astatine it. It seems to beryllium okay. They cognize nan microorganism very well. They've worked pinch it for a agelong time. They cognize it very well. Not easy to walk on. So we dream that's true."
"Our American passengers, they're gonna beryllium taken to Nebraska, to a halfway wherever they will beryllium monitored. They will beryllium isolated, they'll cheque their captious signs, their temperature, their oxygen level, their humor pressure," Dr. Janet Nesheiwat, a erstwhile Trump-tapped nominee for Surgeon General, told Fox News connected Saturday.
"If they commencement to create immoderate symptoms, we tin intervene early. Because arsenic it is correct now, there's nary circumstantial curen for this microorganism different than supportive care, for illustration oxygen, fluids, hydration, analgesics," she said.
Fox News Digital contacted nan WHO and nan CDC for further remark but did not instantly person a response.
Fox News Digital's Brittany Miller contributed to this report.
