Published on: 2026-05-07
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The outbreak of a deadly dangerous SARS virus on board a cruise liner in the Atlantic Ocean represents a low risk to global health and is not “the beginning of a new pandemic.” The World Health Organization (WHO) made this statement on Thursday.
At the moment, three people have died, and several others have fallen ill. As part of international response measures to the situation, experts from Europe, Africa, and Latin America have been involved.
The first alarm was sounded by the United Kingdom. In accordance with International Health Regulations (IHR), London notified the WHO about the outbreak after passengers traveling from Argentina to Cape Verde developed a severe respiratory disease.
Speaking at a briefing in Geneva, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reported that as of today, eight cases of the disease have been registered. Of them, five have been confirmed in the laboratory, three are still being tested. All are caused by a rare strain of the Andes virus.
Low risk to humans
Hantavirus infection is a zoonotic disease, whose carriers are rodents. Human infection usually occurs through contact with infected animals or their products and secretions (saliva, urine, feces).
The “Andes” strain, found in some parts of Latin America, is the only known type of hantavirus capable of transmitting from person to person. However, the likelihood of such transmission is extremely low. According to WHO data, this requires close and prolonged contact, which usually occurs within families, between sexual partners, or when caring for the sick.
“At this stage, the overall risk to public health remains low,” emphasized Gebreyesus.
The UN Office on Drugs and Crime emphasizes that the current situation is fundamentally different from the pandemic.coronavirusin 2020.
“This is not SARS-CoV-2. This is not the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Maria van Kerkhove, acting WHO director for epidemic and pandemic prevention.
“Hantaviruses have been known to us for a long time. We understand the nature of this virus. It does not spread like coronaviruses,” she added.
Investigation process
The first patient felt unwell on April 6 and later died on board the vessel. His wife also fell ill and died after evacuation to South Africa, where laboratory tests confirmed the antiviral infection.
It turned out that before boarding the airliner, the spouses traveled through Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay as part of a tour for birdwatching enthusiasts. The route passed through areas inhabited by rodents – carriers of the virus.
Another passenger died on May 2. One man is in critical care in South Africa; however, according to the WHO, his condition is improving. Other patients have been transferred to hospitals in the Netherlands for treatment. Currently, no symptoms of illness are observed among the remaining passengers and crew members on board.
International measures
The outbreak triggered the operation of the International Health Regulations – a global system for coordinating measures specifically designed for situations where cross-border health threats arise. WHO closely collaborates with the authorities of Cabo Verde, Spain, the Netherlands, the USA, the United Kingdom, and Argentina, as well as with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
Spain has agreed to accept a ship in the port of the Canary Islands after the authorities of Cape Verde rejected the request due to security concerns. The head of the IOM thanked the Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, for showing solidarity, adding that the risk to the residents of the Canary Islands is assessed as extremely low.
Measures on board the airliner
Earlier this week in Cabo Verde, experts from WHO, Dutch doctors, and a European infectious disease specialist boarded the airliner. They are overseeing medical examinations and infection prevention measures.
The WFP representative in Cabo Verde, Ann Lindstrand, said in an interview with the UN News Service that the organization has been supporting local authorities from the very first days.
“We have delivered essential medications on board – for the journey to the Canary Islands. If someone falls ill, doctors will be ready to provide immediate assistance, and we have all the necessary supplies,” she noted.
The authorities are also in contact with passengers who disembarked earlier in Cape Verde, recommending they immediately consult a doctor if any initial symptoms appear. Those who remain on the ship are temporarily confined to their cabins while disinfection is carried out.
Combating disinformation
The head of the WHO department responsible for emergencies, Abdirahman M. Aman, separately commented on the rumors circulating on social networks. He emphasized that there are no signs of the start of a pandemic.
The infection occurred in a closed space during prolonged contact, resembling the limited outbreak of the “Andes” virus in Argentina in 2018–2019. At that time, the virus spread at a social event where one person was ill, and the transmission chain was quickly broken.
Existing methods – contact tracing, isolation, and monitoring – have proven their effectiveness.
Forecasts
VOZ warns that new cases of the disease may still be detected, as the incubation period of the “Andes” virus can be up to six weeks.
“Viruses are indifferent to politics and borders,” Gebreyesus concluded. “Our best immunity is solidarity.”
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