The director of the WHO asks that passengers disembark “as soon as possible” to reduce the risk of contagion
The director general of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, sent this Tuesday a letter of gratitude to the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, for finally allowing the cruise ship to dock in the Canary Islands. In the letter, he urges the Spanish Government to work “collectively” and “avoid unnecessary restrictions that do not have a public health justification, even in relation to the movement” of travelers as a “humanitarian imperative.”
“Passengers and crew of the MV Hondius must be able to disembark as soon as possible to reduce any additional psychological harm, and appropriate medical management of non-hantavirus-related medical problems of passengers and crew, many of whom are older,” he explains in his letter. “The benefits of disembarking travelers as soon as possible will reduce the risk of other contacts developing the disease on board, where it is difficult to manage and diagnose; allows for earlier complete disinfection of the ship; and limits the time at sea for any passenger who may develop symptoms shortly after sailing from Cape Verde, thus reducing the likelihood of them developing serious illness,” he notes.
