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Passengers Prepare to Leave Hantavirus-Stricken Cruise Ship; Rubio and Witkoff Meet Qatari P.M. as U.S. Waits for Iran's Response to Its Latest Proposal to End Conflict; Many Fans in Mexico Feel Priced Out of World Cup Experience. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired May 10, 2026 - 03:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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[03:00:00]

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us in the United States and from all around the world. I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong.

Soon, passengers and some crew members of the Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship will begin to disembark and start their journeys home. The M.V. Honduras is now anchored at a port on the Spanish island of Tenerife. 147 people remain on board this ship. The World Health Organization says none of them have symptoms of the virus that has killed three people in the past few weeks.

Passengers will leave the ship in small boats, and then they will travel in, quote, sealed, guarded vehicles to be tested to make sure that they are free of the virus before being repatriated.

The WHO chief is there in Tenerife to monitor the evacuations. He has been reassuring residents, as well as the rest of the world, that the risk to public health here is very low.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS, WHO DIRECTOR-GENERAL: This disease is not COVID, and we have said it many times as WHO. And when we say this, we don't take it lightly. And then, of course, the other issue I'd like to say, which I also indicated in my message to the people of Tenerife, is the risk to the population, to the local population is low.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STOUT: The WHO director-general there.

Now, CNN's Melissa Bell joins us now live from Tenerife with the latest. And Melissa, the ship is there. It has arrived. Walk us through what happens next.

MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, what we've just seen, Kristie, just now, the evacuation, disembarkation process was due to start now, this hour. We've just seen in the last few moments someone wearing high-visibility jackets, hazmat suits, get on to the ship from one of those little boats that's moored alongside it.

What we understand from Spanish health authorities is that that is the beginning of the screening process. These are health officials getting onto the ship to begin that screening process. They're going to be testing everyone, checking everyone's health, and then starting to organize the process of dividing them up into groups by nationality. The first off, we understand, will be the Spanish, Kristie. Each group by nationality will then be taken by a little boat onto a bus and onto a plane that will be waking, waiting for them on the tarmac.

Then begins the process that varies from country-to-country, but there will be an initial quarantining process for most of these passengers when they get home, followed by an isolation period of more than 40 days. This is, of course, a very long incubation period in this virus, which has been one of the difficulties over the course of the last few weeks in trying to understand what might have happened in relation to some of those passengers who'd gotten off in St. Helena before the virus had been identified and the fact that it was contagious known.

So, lots of precautions being taken here this morning. But, clearly, just the fact that it has arrived, I mean, can you imagine for the 147 people on board, the sense of relief, Kristie, this morning to see a shore that will actually allow them to disembark?

STOUT: And once that happens, as you just laid out, very rigorous plan will be in place for testing, for screening, for separating the patients, for the passengers based on nationality, and ultimately isolation. And yet, there is a lot of concerns, isn't there, Melissa? I mean, the WHO chief has been reassuring the world not to be worried, but people there on the island are concerned. You know, are there still deep concerns about the arrival of this ship and what's about to take place?

BELL: You know, we just heard from Dr. Tedros, the World Health Organization director there, who's here coordinating this disembarkation process. He's here in person to make sure it goes well. And what was so interesting, to your point, about the fear that this has inspired globally, is that he sent this message directly to the people of Tenerife yesterday, addressing them personally, thanking them for their humanity, their solidarity, explaining that this was an island that had not just the medical facilities, but the heart, really, to allow this operation to happen. Others had not. There had been refusals to allow this disembarkation process in the past.

[03:05:00]

So, he also mentioned in that message, Kristie, and I thought this was interesting, that in these post-COVID times, of course, people are worried about these kinds of things, the possibility of an outbreak. We're all scarred in a way by what started just a few years ago at the very beginning of the COVID pandemic in 2020. All of us carry that in our memories, some, of course, to a greater extent because they were touched by grief and loss than others. But all of us remember it fairly vividly and are extremely worried. And he spoke to that in his message, acknowledging that there are fears.

You know, here in Tenerife in these last few days, there have been protests on the part of dock workers. There have been these concerns that were expressed by the president of the Canary Islands in his communications with the Spanish central authorities in Madrid. When they first spoken of allowing the ship to disembark, there had been back -- some back and forth about how this would happen, about how far the ship would be kept and the information that would be given to locals.

So, every step of the way, the World Health Organization and authorities, Spanish authorities, have been, on one hand, trying to begin the very complex operation that you're going to see here today and reassure people about the fact that whilst every precaution needs to be taken and these periods of quarantine and then isolation need to be long because of the nature of the virus at hand, there is no fear of a wider outbreak.

This is not, the World Health Organization keeps saying, the flu or the next COVID. This is not a virus that functions like that. And they believe that they have everything in place to ensure that no one here in Tenerife is put at risk. Kristie.

STOUT: And, Melissa, we are waiting for the moment when the passengers start to disembark this ship that has arrived there in Tenerife. Moments ago, you said the Spanish passengers, they're lined up to be the first to disembark. Could you tell us more about the people on board the ship? Who are they? Where are they from? And also what have they been enduring up to now?

BELL: I think that's such a good question. The world has been so captivated by this story, but it's so difficult to imagine. Some of these passengers that are still on here, and it is a mixture of passengers and crew, of course, they've been on the ship for more than five weeks, Kristie. They've gone from Argentina through all of these Antarctic stops off to St. Helena. By the time they arrived there, the first passenger had died, but it wasn't known that it was the result of a virus. In fact, his wife was one of the ones who got on a plane and went to South Africa causing several of the contact cases that we've seen pop up in countries across the world.

Then, of course, there was this long period where they stopped in the Ascension Islands so that one of the passengers could be disembarked, an infected one, stopped at Cape Verde, which would not take them in. Simply three passengers disembarked there. They've been through hell. They've been stuck on this cruise for so many weeks with all this uncertainty about when and where they'd be able to get off, about the state of their health.

Again, Dr. Tedros' message yesterday reminding the world that these are people, some of them are grieving, some of them -- all of them will have been profoundly marked by the ordeal that they've been through. So, they are a mixture of passengers and crew.

What we understand is going to happen, Kristie, is that the crew, 17 of them are going to get off, but 30 of them are going to stay on because the ship then goes on to Rotterdam, where it will get its full sort of disinfection process. So, there are people who will carry on with the ship up until then, but the passengers and those 17 crew will get off today. Their luggage will stay behind. It'll be brought to them later.

The first, as you said, are the Spanish. What happens to them? It's 13 passengers, 1 crew member in their case. They get taken to Madrid, where they're put in a military hospital for seven days, no visits, a full quarantine, tests several times a day to check their health, and then begins the isolation period. So, that's one example. Each country has its own protocols, but it gives you an idea of the fact that whilst this particular part of the ordeal is over, and it has to have been the worst, there is still -- there are still further steps for them to go through before they can return to normal life. Kristie.

STOUT: Melissa, thank you so much for walking us through the delicate procedure that is about to begin and also reminding us of the ordeal that people on board this ship have had to experience.

Melissa Bell reporting live.

Now, for more now, let's bring in CNN's Barbie Latza Nadeau. And, Barbie, we just heard from Melissa about what is going to happen momentarily. The passengers will disembark, divided up into groups based on nationality, Spanish passengers to disembark first. They will be screened, they will be tested, and then what happens next? Tell us what happens when they go back to their home countries.

BARBIE LATZA NADEAU, CNN REPORTER: Yes, you know, this is a very intricate part of this complex plan. Every single country involved, and there are 23 different nationalities, have devised their own repatriation and acceptance plan. In the United States, 17 passengers will be flown to a hospital in Nebraska. They will be assessed. They will determine only then how long they'll have to quarantine. And so, you know, you've got people from Germany, from Belgium, from France, every single country has its own specific plan.

[03:10:02]

Let's listen for a minute here to what the Spanish government authorities had to say about this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FERNANDO GRANDE-MARLASKA, SPANISH INTERIOR MINISTER: I can confirm that repatriation flights to France, Germany, Belgium, Ireland, and to the Netherlands have already been scheduled, to assist those European Union countries that do not have air transport resources available, the European civil protection mechanism has made two aircraft available, and the necessary flights for the transfer will be scheduled throughout the course of today, Saturday.

MONICA GARCIA, SPAIN'S HEALTH MINISTER: I would also like to emphasize once again that the risk to the general public remains low. As for the Spanish passengers, once they arrive at Torreon de Ordos Airport, they will be taken to Gomez Ulla Hospital, where they will undergo preventative quarantine under medical supervision in accordance with protocols approved yesterday by the Public Health Committee.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NADEAU: And, you know, Kristie, one of the things that's also very important is the order in which they will disembark, the Spanish first, depends upon what aircraft are ready to repatriate them. So, if the American plane is there ready, then they will -- those passengers will be disembarked. They don't want anyone sort of waiting around for a flight on the island.

So, people will stay on the ship until they are assured that they can very quickly and swiftly and safely make it to the airport and then back to their home countries. Kristie?

STOUT: Barbie, thank you for walking us through what is going to happen next. Barbie Latza Nadeau reporting for us live there.

For more on the Hantavirus outbreak, I want to bring in Devi Sridhar. Devi Sridhar is a professor and chair of Global Public Health at the University at Edinburgh, and she's also the author of Preventable, How a Pandemic Changed the World and How to Stop the Next One. She joins us now live. Professor, thank you very much indeed for joining us here on CNN Newsroom.

DEVI SRIDHAR, PROFESSOR AND CHAIR OF GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH, UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH: Good morning.

STOUT: Now, as people get ready to disembark from the cruise ship there in Tenerife, are we going to get a clearer vision soon about the extent of the outbreak? Your thoughts.

SRIDHAR: Yes, I think so. First, all those who are on the ship who are most at risk of getting infected, you know, will be in touch with their public health authorities, whatever country they go back from, and they, there we'll see if there's going to be more cases emerging.

In addition, we do know there have been individuals who were on flights and other things like that who then tested positive later, and I think we'll know in the next few weeks if any of those have resulted in onwards transmission. The good news is there have been none of those cases, even though a few have been suspected, so that's good news so far.

STOUT: Okay, good news so far. But the Hantavirus, as you pointed out online and to other media sources, the Hantavirus has a long incubation period. There is a risk of onward transmission. We know that patients, once they disembark, organized, screened, tested, they will be sent back to their home countries. Will there be a coordinated response when various nations have various protocols in managing the virus?

SRIDHAR: Yes. Obviously, it's tricky, because every country with their nationals will want to follow a specific process. But the World Health Organization, who has been leading on this, especially because it's been on a cruise ship with many international, you know, people on it, it's not one government who's been in charge, they will actually be putting out guidance, and they have put out guidance to these governments to say what they should be doing.

The clearest thing is basically, first few days, look for symptoms, and then ask people to quarantine for up to 45 days, and during that time to monitor and to make sure that they're not in contact with others. What we really want to do is break any chains of transmission so that this outbreak is controlled.

It is controllable. Previous Andes strain outbreaks have been controlled, but that's how they've been managed. Basically, you make sure that the virus doesn't have someone else it can move to continue on.

STOUT: Okay. And Americans are on board this cruise ship, and they will be sent to Nebraska for quarantine and for testing. You know, you said the WHO is leading this process, but the U.S. is no longer a member of the World Health Organization. So, is that going to be an issue? What protocols will the U.S. follow to contain this virus?

SRIDHAR: Well, I guess here is a clear example of why the U.S. decision to remove itself from the WHO was quite shortsighted. In the end, actually, most governments are more reliant on the WHO than they think in terms of times of crises, for information sharing, for coordinating with other countries, and for having a seat at the table. That's exactly why the U.N. was created.

In this instance, the Centers for Disease Control, the CDC, has come in at a late stage to say, we're going to manage it from now on. But it is isolated compared to, let's say, several years ago when the U.S. would be leading this. For decades, it was the US CDC who actually led on many outbreak investigations and responses in conjunction with the WHO, and I think that absence has been felt over the past, you know, week or two when this has developed.

[03:15:00]

STOUT: Yes. And just how important is coordination and containment when there is no vaccine, there is no treatment for the Hantavirus?

SRIDHAR: Exactly. I think that's the most, you know, worrying thing, if anything of this, is that we don't have an off-the-shelf vaccine. We don't have a, you know, rapid diagnostic where you could test people and say, you're clear. And we also don't have a treatment specific for Hantavirus and the strain of Andes.

And so I think there, what you have to rely on is traditional public health measures, which is actually how do you make sure that people who are, you know, unwell, who are infected, get into hospitals, are treated, and that's not passed on to healthcare workers or anyone else, and how do you make sure the general public just isn't exposed to this?

It looks like right now that has been the case, that actually we've not seen any unlinked cases to this, those who have been on the cruise ship, but it's also, you know, a sign that we need to invest in infectious disease research. It's easy to forget about these things until they come back in this form, and that's why we need to have that kind of research and platforms in place to prepare for things like this in advance.

STOUT: And, finally, advice. What's your advice for people who are watching this? And they are concerned? They're concerned about traveling. They're concerned about the virus coming to where they are. What precautions should be taken given the uncertainties that are there?

SRIDHAR: Well, right now, I actually would say the risk to the general public is very low. I wouldn't change anything in your daily life, and the experts I know in this area aren't changing anything in terms of what they're doing.

Obviously, if you're going through major airports, if you're traveling and you're worried, you can always wear an N-95 or, you know, a mask, and that can make you feel a bit more protected. But that's not just for Hantavirus. That's for all the things that are circulating.

But other than that, I think actually right now we just have to wait and watch to see if we see more cases that are unlinked, you know, to people who are directly on the cruise ship. And right now we haven't seen that. So, I think people really shouldn't be worried right now, but it's wait and watch over the next few days and next few weeks.

STOUT: Thank you, Professor. I really appreciate your advice and your insights. Professor Devi Sridhar joining us live. Take care. And you're watching CNN Newsroom.

And still to come, the ship that is the center of this deadly Hantavirus outbreak is docked. Its passengers are ready to safely return home. We'll bring you the very latest on the evacuation effort ahead.

Plus, Iran is threatening to retaliate against the U.S. as Washington waits for Tehran's response to the latest peace proposal. We'll go live to Abu Dhabi with the latest developments.

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STOUT: Welcome back. You're watching CNN Newsroom.

Now, passengers and some crew are preparing to evacuate from the luxury cruise ship struck by a deadly Hantavirus outbreak. The Dutch flagship is now docked in Tenerife, in Spain's Canary Islands, and passengers will be tested to make sure that they don't show symptoms of the virus before repatriating.

Now, the Hantavirus outbreak onboard this ship was first reported to the World Health Organization on May the 2nd. The WHO says eight people have fallen ill and three have died, and they say that none of the people on the ship now have symptoms. Now, the United States is moving ahead with its diplomatic efforts in the Middle East as it awaits Iran's response to its latest proposal to end the war. The U.S. secretary of state, Marco Rubio, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff met with the Qatari prime minister, who also serves as foreign minister, on Saturday.

And the State Department said this in a statement, quote, the secretary and the foreign minister also discussed U.S. support for Qatar's defense and the importance of continued close coordination to deter threats and promote stability and security across the Middle East, unquote.

Now, meanwhile, Tehran is warning of a heavy assault against U.S. assets in the region if Iranian vessels face aggression. Now, the U.S. maintains its blockade of Iran's ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state media reports that citizens are now being urged to limit electricity as well as gas usage.

And let's bring in CNN's Leila Gharagozlou joins us live from Abu Dhabi. And, Leila, Iran is still weighing its response to America's plan to end the war. What's happening? Why the delay?

LEILA GHARAGOZLOU, CNN PRODUCER: Yes, Kristie. So, there's a number of things going on here, and we're not quite sure where Tehran is going to decide to go with this proposal. Now, Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, posted the following yesterday, saying, every time a diplomatic solution is on the table, the U.S. opts for reckless military adventure. He went on to say that Iranians never bow to pressure.

Now, this is coming off the back of these tit-for-tat escalations that we've seen throughout the week in the Strait of Hormuz, most recently with this Iranian vessel that was attacked, and the Iranians, as you pointed out, have said that they would respond militarily.

Now, all of this really comes down to one big issue, which is trust, and the Iranians have made it clear that they don't have a lot of trust with the Trump administration. They've said, throughout this process, the Trump administration has moved the goalpost when it comes to negotiating, and this goes all the way back to the JCPOA and President Trump pulling out of the JCPOA.

So, the Iranians say that this is a continuous breach of trust that they've seen, including with past negotiations. Every time they come to the table, the U.S. escalates militarily. So, there is this massive hurdle of trust to get through, which is going to impact how the Iranians respond to this latest proposal.

That being said, the Iranians don't have a lot of runway. While they haven't been totally impacted by the blockade quite yet, they can't really sustain this not war, not peace fugue state that they're currently in.

[03:25:04]

They are starting to feel the economic pressure of the blockade as well as the war, and they didn't come into this war either with a stellar economy. They were already having serious issues with their economy, even off the back of these economic protests that we saw in December and January.

So, there's quite a lot of elements here at play that are going to factor into the Iranians' decision-making on this deal or this MOU that's essentially been put forward.

Now, the last thing I will say on this is that this is ultimately just a framework that the Iranians are going to respond to or maybe not respond to, which means that there's going to be a long road ahead when it comes to any other negotiations around Iran's nuclear program or missile program. Kristie?

STOUT: All right. Thank you very much for walking us through the state of play and what Tehran is weighing at this very moment.

Leila Gharagozlou reporting for us live from Abu Dhabi. Thank you and take care.

The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, says that he believes the conflict in Ukraine is coming to an end. He made the comment after Saturday's victory parade in Moscow, which marked the Soviet defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. Mr. Putin did not offer any specifics about why, more than four years of brutal fighting, would stop now.

But as Russia celebrated its past, Ukraine sent a message about where it wants to be in the future. A monument in Kyiv was lit in the colors of the European Union flag on Saturday to mark Europe Day. Ukraine is holding talks that it hopes will lead to an E.U. membership.

You're watching CNN Newsroom. And coming up next, we got more on the Hantavirus outbreak as health officials get ready to begin the disembarkation process in Tenerife, and what's next for the passengers and crew as they begin, finally, their journeys home after the break.

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[03:30:00]

STOUT: Welcome back to CNN Newsroom. I'm Kristie Lu Stout. And let's check today's top stories.

Passengers and crew will soon begin evacuating the cruise ship hit by a deadly Hantavirus outbreak. The ship's 87 passengers and some crew members will be tested for the virus before flying home, where they'll be monitored by health officials.

The WHO says that none of the passengers or crew are showing symptoms, and that the risk to public health is very low.

Now, the U.S. secretary of state and special envoy to the Middle East met with the Qatari prime minister on Saturday. A source says the officials discussed ways to support the Pakistani mediation efforts toward an Iran peace deal. The meeting comes as Washington awaits a response from Tehran about a U.S. proposal to end the war. Now, Russian President Vladimir Putin says he believes the war in Ukraine will soon come to an end. He made the statement after Saturday's Victory Day parade in Moscow, but didn't elaborate.

Now, the conflict has been going on for more than four years, and efforts to end it are largely on the back burner because of the Iran war.

147 passengers from the Hantavirus-hit cruise ship will begin to disembark in Tenerife in Spain's Canary Islands, as authorities launch a tightly coordinated international repatriation effort. Now, officials say passengers will be brought ashore in small groups to be screened for symptoms before their home countries take over their transport to secondary facilities.

Since the outset of this outbreak, there have been three deaths, but global health officials emphasize that the risk to public health is very low.

Now, for more, let's go straight to CNN's Melissa Bell reporting live from Tenerife. And, Melissa, moments ago, there was a press conference at the port. Can you tell us what's happening and also what's next with this delicate process of evacuating passengers?

BELL: We've been hearing from the Spanish health authorities, Kristie, about the fact that the screening process on board has now become -- has now begun. We'd watched as one of the -- a little boat had brought someone in a hazmat suit who entered the ship. That was the first that we saw just before 8:00 A.M. We understand that screening process has now begun. Then, of course, the very careful transfer of the passengers, nationality by nationality, onto small boats so that they can be brought ashore and put onto buses, and they're taken straight to the airport.

No contact with anyone here on the island, and that's something that's been repeated a lot these last few days by health authorities, by the World Health Organization. The only contact anyone coming off the ship is going to have are either with people from the Spanish military or with people from health services, either the World Health Organization or Spanish. And, of course, everyone, as they come off or are driving the buses or involved in this transfer at all, will be wearing FFP2 masks to protect everyone and ensure that this virus doesn't spread any further.

But, of course, for those still on the ship, and none of these transfers have actually begun still it arrived a few hours ago. And it's difficult to imagine the emotion of those inside the ship, both crew and passengers, who ever since this virus was first identified on May the 2nd, have had a completely unknown fate, totally uncertain few weeks ahead of them, uncertain where they were going to land, who was going to take them in, how much further this virus was going to spread inside.

[03:35:03]

The good news is this morning, Kristie, that we're hearing from health authorities that there are -- all of the passengers are still asymptomatic. And that is the best news, of course, and that's what Spanish health authorities had been hoping would happen.

It was the case when they left Cape Verde, their last stop, and it is the case this morning we understand here. So, the screening process, then the transfer process, and then begins this next leg of the journey for the people on the ship, which will be quarantine followed by a very long isolation period of more than 40 days. That's certainly what the World Health Organization is recommending, Kristie.

STOUT: Got it. So, screening process underway on the ship before the passengers disembark, obviously, precautions are being taken here. The World Health Organization has called this low risk. Melissa, has that been enough to ease concerns about the ship's arrival and what it could bring?

BELL: No, it has not. And I think it's such an important point to note that so much of what we've heard these last couple of weeks have been the World Health Organization explaining that this is not as contagious as the flu. It is not the next COVID pandemic. It is a carefully contained outbreak on a single ship and that the wider world need not be worried.

But I think that what you've seen from the protests here in Tenerife, from the refusal of other countries to allow the ship to dock, really speaks to the fact that people are fearful. And in these post-COVID days, Dr. Tedros, the World Health Organization director, spoke to that in his direct message to the people of Tenerife yesterday. Of course, in a post-COVID world, and so soon after the pandemic, really, it's only been six years there is fear. People are understandably worried about what might happen.

And given the uncertainty surrounding the fate of this ship and the fact, I think, that there had been these disembarkations before the virus was known that led to these contact cases, again, taking us back to those memories of 2020, of course, there is this concern in the wider population about what this might mean. And that is why you've heard so much from World Health Organization, Spanish authorities, about the very careful steps that'll be taken today, not just to reassure people here in Tenerife, but also in the home countries to where these people will be heading back later today. Kristie.

STOUT: Yes, absolutely, memories of COVID and zero COVID still very, very raw. WHO must reassure not just people there on the island, but all over the world.

Melissa Bell reporting live, thank you, Melissa.

Now, in the last hour, I spoke to Dr. Olli Vapalahti. He's a professor of zoonotic virology at the University of Helsinki, and I asked him about what precautions need to be taken to keep the island and the wider public safe as the passengers begin to disembark.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OLLI VAPALAHTI, PROFESSOR OF ZOONOTIC VIROLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF HELSINKI: Well, I think the authorities have made extreme measures to keep the islanders separate from those that then enter from the ship and many of them leave then to their home countries. But regular measures on FFP2 masks and these will then be, of course, conducted there. And to my knowledge, there are no people with newly evolving disease there, but, of course, this is evolving situation.

But what is, of course, problematic with this virus is that the incubation time is so long, usually from two to four weeks, but in rare cases has been reported up to 40 days. So, that causes that then these people don't have symptoms have to be somehow followed up for these around six weeks.

STOUT: You point out the incubation period is long when it comes to the Hantavirus. Does that give you pause because we may not know for some time the extent of this outbreak?

VAPALAHTI: Yes, of course. It's possible that further cases will come up, but at least in this case, we have a clear list of who were on board and who were in contact with them and with the very big resources that the countries are putting out here. So, it should be very regular epidemiological footwork to follow up these patients and also the measures then that need to be taken when -- if someone falls ill for barrier nursing, they are regular things.

[03:40:03]

And as already said here before, the possibility of this virus to spread is far lower than we have experienced for COVID and what is the case for influenza and such things. And in that sense, of course, it's important to follow up these patients and take the necessary measures.

But the good thing is that we know now what it is. And we know how to control it and it's doable, and resources are there. And I think all this really makes at least me reassured that there are minute possibilities for this to spread further, although some cases may pop up somewhere.

STOUT: And as you point out, the Hantavirus has low transmissibility compared to COVID, compared to influenza, but it does have a very worrying mortality rate. We know three people died in the outbreak on board this ship that we're looking at on our screens right now. And, professor, could you tell us, what do you think happened? How did they become infected? What do you believe happened on board this cruise ship?

VAPALAHTI: Well, it has been shown before in case clusters in Argentina. You have, of course, most of the cases coming from the rodent reservoir, like for Hantaviruses. All over the world are several kinds of Hantaviruses, some milder diseases and some then with higher mortality, like the ones -- there are in the Americas, also in North America. But only Andes then goes from person-to-person.

And it is obvious that the first case somehow, unfortunately, managed to become infected somewhere in Argentina. This virus is also in Chile, by the way. So, to get infected there mount (ph), then with his wife, the vessel and then infected his wife and somehow some others. And this is then -- of course, there are closed spaces in, as we all know, in a cruise ship. So, these close contacts were somehow possible. We, or at least I don't know how all this happened, but, still, what we know of Andes, so there are rather close contacts there are needed for the virus to spread from human-to-human.

STOUT: And that could be facilitated in the close and cramped quarters of a cruise ship. And there's so much more that we need to learn about the Hantavirus. You know, it's not just one virus. It's a group of closely related viruses. Could you tell us about how they affect the human body, the symptoms, and the onset of symptoms? What is that like?

VAPALAHTI: Well, basically, you have -- there are also unpathogenic Hantaviruses, but let's forget about them. So, there are two main kinds of diseases. One that affects the kidneys, which is in the old world, Europe Asia, and there's some other form of that which is common in Europe, Puumala virus, causing most like around 2,000, 3,000 cases maybe annually in Europe. The mortality is like one per million (ph) or so. And then Dobrava virus, which is then more severe with several percent of mortality. Also Seoul virus from the rats, then you have the Hantaan virus in China, a big problem also in Korea and with a higher mortality. These are kidney diseases. There's, of course, the general symptoms.

And then in the Americas you have the lung symptom, which really causes people to after a prodrome of fever, nausea, myalgia, diarrhea, then to develop this respiratory distress and which really, unfortunately, leads to death in about one third of the cases.

STOUT: Well, we thank you for your insights here and the additional information about the new world Hantavirus and the old world Hantavirus, and it appears that this outbreak is linked to the new world Hantavirus.

Dr. Ali Vapalahti, thank you for joining us, sir.

VAPALAHTI: Thank you.

STOUT: You're watching CNN Newsroom, and we're going to stay on this story.

A stressful, scary, grief-filled cruise comes to an end as passengers aboard the hantavirus cruise ship are starting their journeys home.

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We have more after the break.

Also, the World Cup is about to get underway in North America, but for many in Mexico, ticket prices are out of their league. When we come back, how fans in Mexico are reacting to the World Cup.

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STOUT: Welcome back. Now, passengers are set to begin disembarking from the cruise ship that is the center of a deadly Hantavirus outbreak.

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The ship is now docked in Tenerife, and medical teams have boarded the vessel to test the passengers and crew for the virus before they're allowed to disembark and head home.

Now, the outbreak on board was first reported to the World Health Organization on May the 2nd. The WHO says eight people have fallen ill, three have died. But they are warning against panic, saying that there is no evidence of widespread transmission risk.

Now, as the World Cup gets underway next month in North America, many Mexican fans feel left out due to the sky-high cost of the tickets. CNN's Valeria Leon reports from Mexico City.

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VALERIA LEON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): For a country that lives and breathes soccer, this World Cup remains out of reach for many. Sky-high ticket prices and just a handful of matches on home turf, leaving many Mexican fans feeling left out.

Francisco Ferreira compares access to Mexico's past World Cups to this one.

FRANCISCO JAVIER FERREIRA, MEXICAN FOOTBALL FAN: It doesn't feel the same. Back then, it felt like Mexico's World Cup. Now, it feels like it belongs to the United States. And the ticket prices, they're impossible.

LEON: The opening match in Mexico City, with some tickets now selling for as much as $16,000 on official FIFA sites, and on resale sites even higher, a staggering amount that puts this tournament far out of reach for all but the ultra-wealthy.

In Mexico City, the average family earns just over $2,000 a month, roughly the cost of a single ticket. And in a city where many local fans were able to attend World Cups hosted here in 1970 and '86, many feel they've been priced out.

But the frustration started months ago. FIFA's lottery-style sales system designed to manage global demand left thousands without access, even at base prices.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I haven't been able to get tickets, but if I do, I'll be there.

LEON: And now, with the final sales phase underway, resale prices are skyrocketing, turning tickets into luxury items and leaving fans of the national team with only one option, watching the matches on a screen.

MONICA, MEXICAN FOOTBALL FAN: I hope Mexico wins, but either way, I just want it to be exciting, a good show, of course.

LEON: At this rate, the cheers of Mexican fans will mostly be heard outside the stadium.

Valeria Leon, CNN, Mexico City.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STOUT: Now, it was a big day for football superstar Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami MLS team. Messi scored and had two assists for Miami, making him the fastest MLS player to reach 100 goal contributions. He reached this in just 64 games, beating the record previously held by Toronto's Sebastian Giovinco.

Messi had logged an amazing 59 goals and 41 assists since joining Inter Miami late in the 2023 season. Inter Miami beat Toronto 4-2.

K-pop super group BTS is back in Mexico this week as part of their comeback world tour after a nearly four-year hiatus. It has been nearly a decade since the band has performed there in Mexico, and the demand to see the group has only grown.

My colleague, Ben Hunte has more.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Saludamos, dos, tres. We are BTS.

BEN HUNTE, CNN ANCHOR (voice over): The K-pop band BTS is electrifying audiences in Mexico City, thrilling fans at sold-out shows filled with fireworks, booming sing-alongs, and even a few phrases in Spanish.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you so much. Thank you. Te amo.

HUNTE: Mexico City is the first Latin American stop of the BTS worldwide tour. The band last played in the Mexican capital nine years ago, and since then, its fan base has exploded.

LAURA MEDINA, BTS FAN: The truth is there are so many of us, even millions, worldwide, army as a fandom has grown a lot. And right now, here in Mexico City, K-pop, and in this case, BTS fans, there are a lot of us.

HUNTE: Last year, Spotify ranked Mexico as the fifth-largest market in the world for K-pop music, and many fans say their love of BTS hits deeper than just the music, because their lyrics often deal with issues of mental health and self-growth.

FRIDA YAEL, BTS FAN: They helped me through a lot of depression, and their UNICEF campaign and all of that they do kind of taught me to have self-esteem.

ATZIRI JUAREZ, BTS FAN: I suffered a lot of bullying when I was a little girl. But when I discovered them, a song about youth really spoke to me.

HUNTE: The band was treated to a rock star greeting by a crowd of about 50,000 people as they appeared on a balcony with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum ahead of their concerts.

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It was a dream come true for so many fans.

ABIGAIL CASTRO RODRIGUEZ, BTS FAN: I've known BTS since I was 13 years old. I'm 25 now, and I'm extremely excited. I've been waiting for them for almost ten years, so I'm really, really excited.

HUNTE: But many BTS followers won't get the chance to see them. Ticketmaster Mexico says over a million people were on its site at one point trying to score tickets for the Mexico City shows, with only 150,000 seats available. But Sheinbaum invited the group to return next year, giving hope to diehard fans that they won't have to wait as long to see their favorite band again.

Ben Hunte, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STOUT: Oh, you got to love the fandom. I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. CNN Newsroom continues with Kim Brunhuber in Atlanta right after this.

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