WHO Classifies All On Board Hantavirus-Hit Cruise Ship as 'High-Risk' Contacts

The World Health Organisation said on Saturday that it considers everyone on board the MV Hondius cruise ship as 'high-risk' contacts who should be actively monitored for 42 days due to a deadly hantavirus outbreak that has killed three people. The ship, which has nearly 150 people on board, is heading towards the waters off Tenerife.

According to WHO's epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention director Maria Van Kerkhove, 'We classify everybody on board as what we call a high-risk contact,' and active monitoring and follow-up of all passengers and crew who disembark for a 42-day period is recommended.

The risk to the general public and to the people of the Canary Islands, where the Hondius is expected to anchor on Sunday, remains 'low', Van Kerkhove stressed.

The WHO is coordinating with member states, including Spain and the Netherlands, on the best way forward, with WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus heading to Tenerife to help coordinate the evacuation. The organisation has briefed countries with nationals on board the ship about the plans for 'safe and dignified disembarkment', with anyone showing symptoms to be taken to the Netherlands for care, and countries organising planes to take all those without symptoms back home.

The immediate next steps include the ship's expected anchoring off Tenerife on Sunday, with everyone coming off the ship to be monitored for 42 days, starting from their last point of exposure with a confirmed or suspected hantavirus case.