The ship MV Hondius, carrying 146 passengers from 23 countries, is sailing toward Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Hantavirus - a deadly virus carried by rodents - has surfaced on board. And before the ship even reaches Tenerife, the situation is already out of control.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the virus „is not like Covid-19" and the public health risk is „low". That is the official message. The reality on the ground is different. Between 22 and 24 April, at the port of Saint Helena, 23 passengers were disembarked. They then moved freely around the island. In some cases, health authorities did not reach them for three days.

Among the disembarked: the spouse of a 70-year-old Dutch passenger who died (hantavirus disease was not officially confirmed at the moment of death). A Swiss man who later tested positive. A Dutch woman who died after a flight to South Africa. These are cases that show: „low risk" is easy to declare in a press release, but when 23 potentially infected passengers freely cross between countries - that is a failure of coordination between health and diplomatic services.

The ship arrives in Tenerife on Saturday. Passengers will be evacuated starting Monday. Spanish health authorities are preparing isolation protocols. The question that remains: what happened over the last three weeks while the ship was sailing toward Tenerife? How many other people were previously disembarked, without any testing?

For the Balkans this is not distant. Travel agencies selling the Canary Islands are popular among Macedonian tourists in the winter months. Hantavirus is not airborne and does not transmit easily between humans - but if the WHO cannot guarantee 100% control, every traveller considering a Canary Islands holiday in the coming months should be aware.

One passenger - an influencer - said in an emotional video: „We are not just headlines, we are people with families." Correct. But hantavirus does not distinguish between headlines and people. The question that remains: is the system able to protect „people with families" - or does it only have the power to issue press releases?