The European Commission has moved quickly to coordinate and support national authorities in responding to the Hantavirus outbreak. While the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control currently assesses the risk to the general population as very low, precautionary measures are being implemented to ensure safety and preparedness.
Following Spain’s activation of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism on May 6, the EU’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre facilitated the safe evacuation of passengers from the MV Hondius cruise ship. Five repatriation flights, co-funded by the EU, were carried out by France, Spain, the Netherlands, Greece, and Ireland, with a sixth flight organized by the Netherlands. The EU also mobilized strategic reserves, including a medical evacuation aircraft hosted by Norway, and deployed protective equipment and logistics support.
To strengthen coordination, the Commission has deployed a Liaison Officer to Tenerife and dispatched experts from the EU Health Task Force to the ship before disembarkation. Daily coordination meetings with Member States, the Health Security Committee, and international partners such as the WHO and G7 ensure a common European approach to disembarkation, repatriation, and follow-up of passengers.
Commissioners emphasized that health threats cross borders and require swift, collective responses. Hadja Lahbib highlighted the importance of solidarity with affected communities, while Olivér Várhelyi stressed vigilance and evidence-based action, noting that the Commission is prepared to mobilize expertise and assistance as needed.
Hantaviruses were already identified in the EU’s 2025 health threat prioritization assessment, leading to funding for vaccine and therapeutic development. The revised 2022 Regulation on serious cross-border health threats provides the legal framework for prevention, preparedness, surveillance, and response, including the deployment of EU Health Task Force experts to support outbreak management worldwide.
