May 6, 2026, 12:23 p.mMay 6, 2026, 2:23 p.m
The planned call to the Canary Islands by a cruise ship affected by hantavirus cases is causing excitement and political controversy in Spain. The President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, opposes the plan of the Spanish central government and the World Health Organization (WHO).
He complains about the “lack of transparency” and calls for an “urgent meeting” with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
No official application received
“We have not yet received any information (from the central government), nor have we received an official application to call at the Canary Islands,” said Clavijo in an interview with the state TV station RTVE. He asked Sánchez and Health Minister Mónica García for talks via WhatsApp. So far, his government has relied exclusively on media reports.
The Spanish Ministry of Health announced on Tuesday evening that the decision for the ship to call at the Canary Islands had been made in coordination with the WHO and the EU in accordance with international law and humanitarian principles. The affected small cruise ship with a total of almost 150 people on board had set off from the south of Argentina and is currently anchored in the Atlantic off Cape Verde off the west coast of Africa.
Tenerife has a clinic specializing in epidemics
So far, three passengers on the Dutch-flagged “Hondius” have died, an elderly Dutch couple and a person from Germany, who, according to ship operator Oceanwide Expeditions, is a woman. There were a total of 149 people on board: 88 passengers (including one death) and 61 crew members. The largest nationality group is made up of Brits (19) and Americans (17), followed by Spaniards (14).
According to Spanish media reports, the ship is scheduled to call at the island of Tenerife, which is very popular with tourists, where there is a clinic specializing in epidemics, the Hospital Candelaria. In addition, the infected ship’s doctor should be flown to the Canary Islands on a medically equipped plane, the media reported, citing the Ministry of Health in Madrid.
According to the South African Ministry of Health, two passengers examined were found to have a type of hantavirus, which can cause infections between people through close, long-term contact.
“The danger is real”
Clavijo called for clarity about the basis for the decision. “If the risk is low, as claimed, we do not understand why passengers have to travel for three days to a Canary Islands port when they could also be evacuated from an airport in Praia (Cape Verde),” he said. There is nothing wrong with flying travelers directly to the Netherlands – that is where the shipping company is based.
The regional president did not respond directly to the question of whether he would oppose a call to the Canary Islands. “We need more information.” Given the lack of transparency, “neither the population of the Canary Islands nor the regional government can be reassured because the danger is real.” Spanish experts interviewed by the media replied that the risk to the population of the archipelago in the Atlantic was low. “Even zero, or less than zero, I would say,” emphasized epidemiologist Amos García in RTVE. (sda/dpa)