WHO: More Cases Expected in the Coming Weeks

 WHO Director-General: No Signs of a Widespread Hantavirus Outbreak

The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stated that there are no signs of a wider outbreak of the Hantavirus, but he did not rule out the possibility of new cases.

Ghebreyesus made these remarks to reporters in Madrid during a joint press conference with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, following the evacuation of passengers from the cruise ship MV Hondus, which had experienced an outbreak of the virus.

Ghebreyesus explained: "At the moment, there are no signs of a larger outbreak, but of course, the situation could change, and given the long incubation period of the virus, it is likely that we will see more cases in the coming weeks."

The organization confirmed that the overall risk to public health remains low, noting that the detected strain is the Andes virus, which has limited human-to-human transmission and typically requires close and prolonged contact.

These statements come as the United States announced that 18 American passengers from the ship were placed in quarantine upon arrival, while the remaining evacuated passengers continue to be monitored and distributed among specialized medical centers.