90-Second Read: WHO head tells countries to prepare for more Hantavirus cases

Although usually spread by wild rodents, Hantavirus can be transmitted person-to-person in rare cases of close contact. The Spanish health ministry said that one of the 14 Spaniards evacuated from the ship and put in quarantine at a military hospital in Madrid had tested positive for Hantavirus and was showing symptoms. France's health minister, Stéphanie Rist, said on Tuesday that while it wasn't currently clear whether the Hantavirus strain involved in the outbreak may have mutated, officials were "rather reassured". Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus thanked Spain for the "compassion and solidarity" it had shown by taking in the stricken cruise ship and urged authorities to follow the WHO's advice and recommendations, which include a 42-day quarantine and constant monitoring of high-risk contacts.

We would expect more cases because, as you may remember, the index case, the first case in the ship, was on 6 April … [and] there was a lot of interaction, actually, with the passengers. It comes as 20 British nationals from the MV Hondius, together with a German who is a UK resident, and a Japanese passenger, who have been isolating at Arrowe Park hospital in Wirral prepare to leave the facility. A Dutch hospital quarantined a dozen members of staff on Tuesday after urine and blood from a patient with Hantavirus were handled without using the necessary protocols. The MV Hondius, which was sailing from Argentina to Cape Verde, found itself at the centre of the outbreak after three passengers, a Dutch couple and a German national, died from the virus.

Health officials in Paris said late on Tuesday that the French patient had been moved to intensive care with "the most severe form of cardiopulmonary presentation". Dr Xavier Lescure told reporters the 65-year old had pre-existing conditions, but gave no further details. The WHO chief also paid tribute to the Spanish government and the people of Spain for responding to the plight of those onboard the ship after authorities in Cape Verde refused it permission to dock. The 12 people would be quarantined for six weeks, a spokesperson for the Radboudumc hospital in Nijmegen said, adding that the infection risk was very low and patient care continued uninterrupted.

More than 120 passengers and crew members were evacuated from Tenerife in a carefully coordinated operation on Sunday and Monday. The MV Hondius, which refuelled and restocked in Tenerife, is now sailing back to port in Rotterdam with a crew of 25 as well as a doctor and nurse. Dutch authorities said all 26 passengers onboard the first evacuation flight had tested negative for the virus.