“Hantavirus is not the new COVID-19,” APA reports, citing Director-General of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a post on X, APA reports.
Addressing residents of Tenerife, he stated that although the Andes strain of hantavirus detected on the MV Hondius vessel is serious, the current public health risk is assessed as low.
The WHO Director-General noted that the word “epidemic” revives memories of the severe pandemic of 2020 for many people, but he specifically stressed that this is not a new COVID-19.
According to him, the WHO carried out the risk assessment responsibly, and the threat level for people living their daily lives in Tenerife remains low.
The Director-General stated that there are currently no passengers with symptoms on board the vessel.
“WHO experts are working on the ship, medical supplies have been provided, and the Spanish authorities have developed a phased plan for the safe evacuation of passengers. Under the plan, passengers will be taken to the Granadilla industrial port, located away from residential areas, and transported directly to their home countries via fully controlled routes using closed and guarded vehicles,” he said.
He assured residents that there would be no contact with the passengers.
