The risk posed by hantavirus to public health in Europe remains “low,” according to European Commission spokesperson Eva Hrncirova, who made the statement during a briefing on the situation involving a cruise vessel docked in Spain.
Hrncirova said the assessment is based on the latest evaluations by the World Health Organization, which continues to classify the broader public health risk in Europe as limited despite the incident. However, she confirmed that the European Union activated its civil protection mechanism following an outbreak of Andes hantavirus aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius.
The activation was carried out to ensure the safe evacuation and management of passengers after the vessel arrived at the port of Tenerife. Authorities are monitoring the situation closely while precautionary health measures are being implemented onboard and onshore.
