Topline
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the World Health Organization’s director-general, will travel to the Spanish island of Tenerife to directly oversee the evacuation of nearly 150 people from the MV Hondius cruise ship, which has become the focal point of hantavirus outbreak concerns after three people aboard the ship died from the highly fatal disease.
Ghebreyesus issued the statement Saturday morning.
Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images)
Key Facts
Ghebreyesus said in a lengthy statement directed to the people of Tenerife that he will be in attendance for the strictly monitored evacuation, which will take people from the ship, all of which remain non-symptomatic, to the industrial port of Granadilla and then taken back to their respective countries.
The WHO chief said the risk to Tenerife residents is low, adding the island has been chosen for the evacuation due to its infrastructure, medical capacity and “humanity” to help those aboard the ship “reach safety.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.