WHO: No sign of a larger outbreak of hantavirus

The World Health Organization said there is currently no indication of a broader hantavirus outbreak, though officials warned that additional cases could still emerge due to the virus’s long incubation period. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted the situation remains under close monitoring and could evolve in the coming weeks.

Victoria Waldersee/Reuters

12 May 2026 at 08:52:08

A logo of the World Health Organisation (WHO) at the headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, April 29, 2026.

Denis Balibouse/Reuters

The head of the World Health Organization said on Tuesday there was no indication of the onset of a broader hantavirus outbreak, although he did not rule out further cases.

"At the moment, there is no sign that we are seeing the start of a larger outbreak, but of course the situation could change and, given the long incubation period of the virus, it's possible we might see more cases in the coming weeks,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters, speaking alongside Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Madrid.

-Victoria Waldersee/Reuters

The World Health Organization (WHO) said there is currently no indication of a broader hantavirus outbreak, though it warned that additional cases could still emerge due to the virus’s long incubation period. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted the situation remains under close monitoring as conditions could change in the coming weeks.