90-Second Read: WHO head will oversee evacuation of passengers, crew from Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship

The head of the World Health Organization is seeking to reassure residents of the Spanish island of Tenerife worried about the anticipated arrival there of a Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship. The current public health risk from Hantavirus remains low. Three people have died since the outbreak, and five passengers who left the ship are infected with Hantavirus. But the Andes virus detected in the cruise ship outbreak may be able to spread between people in rare cases.

Health authorities across four continents were tracking down and monitoring more than two dozen passengers who disembarked before the deadly outbreak was detected. It wasn't until May 2 that health authorities first confirmed Hantavirus in a passenger. Dutch public health authorities have been monitoring people who were on a flight that was briefly boarded by a Dutch ship passenger who later died and was confirmed to have Hantavirus. Authorities are aiming to complete the evacuation flights on Sunday and Monday, the director of the WHO's Department of Epidemic and Pandemic Management, Maria Van Kerkove, said in a briefing Saturday.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, along with Spain's Health Minister Monica Garcia and Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska, arrived on the island Saturday to coordinate the disembarkation of passengers and some crew. The WHO, Spanish authorities and cruise company Oceanwide Expeditions said nobody on the Hondius is currently showing symptoms of the virus. It usually spreads when people inhale contaminated residue of rodent droppings and isn't easily transmitted between people. Three people who were on the flight and had symptoms have all tested negative for Hantavirus, Dutch National Institute for Public Health spokesperson Harald Wychgel told The Associated Press on Saturday.

Oceanwide has listed 13 Spanish passengers and one Spanish crew member on board. According to a letter sent by the Dutch foreign and health ministers to parliament late Friday, Spain has activated the EU civil protection mechanism for a medical evacuation plane equipped for infectious diseases to be on standby in case anyone on the ship becomes ill. Those without symptoms will go into home quarantine for six weeks and be monitored by local health services.