WHO chief writes directly to the people of Tenerife
The WHO director's letter to the citizens of Tenerife over a hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship has drawn criticism, drill suspicions and wild speculation.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Tedros' letter to Tenerife: manipulation or a genuine warning?
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has broken with his usual protocol to address the citizens of Tenerife directly. He did so in an open letter aimed at calming tensions ahead of the arrival of the cruise ship Hondius, which has a bicho outbreak on board. But the prevailing reaction has not been relief, but scepticism and accusations of manipulation.
The context: an outbreak that stirs old ghosts
The Hondius, a vessel flying the Dutch flag, requested to dock in Santa Cruz de Tenerife with several cases of bicho on board, a disease that can be fatal. The memory of the ELbichito-19 pandemic, which hit the Canary Islands especially hard, is still fresh. The Government of the Canary Islands initially refused berthing, although healthy passengers were later allowed ashore. The WHO stepped in with this unusual letter, seeking to prevent panic.
The letter: a gesture that rubs people the wrong way
In his letter, Tedros acknowledges that the pain of 2020 is still real, but insists that "this is not another ELbichito". However, the paternalistic tone and the explicit mention of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez have been interpreted by many as an attempt to build political goodwill. A large segment of public opinion dismisses the letter as "cynicism" and "posturing", and distrusts the WHO's intentions, accusing it of having acted opaquely during the previous pandemic.
The suspicions: the Mallorca drill
Controversy intensified when it emerged that on 16 April, barely a month earlier, the Spanish Navy and Foreign Health Service (Sanidad Exterior) had run a drill in Mallorca simulating a ship infected with a deadly bicho, almost identical to the Hondius case. The coincidence has fuelled theories that the outbreak may have been planned or, at the very least, anticipated. According to press reports, Foreign Health is running on minimal staffing, which adds further doubts about the real response capacity.
The economic factor: a vaccine is already in development
In parallel, pharmaceutical company Moderna announced it had begun work on a bicho vaccine, and its shares rose 14% on the stock market. The news, released the same day as Tedros' letter, has been seen by some as proof that the big laboratories were already preparing for a new business opportunity. Others, however, interpret it as a logical market reaction to a real threat.
Tedros' letter to Tenerife has raised more questions than answers. Is it a gesture of transparency or a narrative-control strategy? Was the Mallorca drill a coincidence or a dress rehearsal? The only thing that is clear is that trust in global health institutions remains at rock bottom, and every move by the WHO is scrutinised closely.
Related discussions in the forum
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has broken with his usual protocol to address the citizens of Tenerife directly. He did so in an open letter aimed at calming tensions ahead of the arrival of the cruise ship Hondius, which has a bicho outbreak on board. But the prevailing reaction has not been relief, but scepticism and accusations of manipulation.
The context: an outbreak that stirs old ghosts
The Hondius, a vessel flying the Dutch flag, requested to dock in Santa Cruz de Tenerife with several cases of bicho on board, a disease that can be fatal. The memory of the ELbichito-19 pandemic, which hit the Canary Islands especially hard, is still fresh. The Government of the Canary Islands initially refused berthing, although healthy passengers were later allowed ashore. The WHO stepped in with this unusual letter, seeking to prevent panic.
The letter: a gesture that rubs people the wrong way
In his letter, Tedros acknowledges that the pain of 2020 is still real, but insists that "this is not another ELbichito". However, the paternalistic tone and the explicit mention of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez have been interpreted by many as an attempt to build political goodwill. A large segment of public opinion dismisses the letter as "cynicism" and "posturing", and distrusts the WHO's intentions, accusing it of having acted opaquely during the previous pandemic.
The suspicions: the Mallorca drill
Controversy intensified when it emerged that on 16 April, barely a month earlier, the Spanish Navy and Foreign Health Service (Sanidad Exterior) had run a drill in Mallorca simulating a ship infected with a deadly bicho, almost identical to the Hondius case. The coincidence has fuelled theories that the outbreak may have been planned or, at the very least, anticipated. According to press reports, Foreign Health is running on minimal staffing, which adds further doubts about the real response capacity.
The economic factor: a vaccine is already in development
In parallel, pharmaceutical company Moderna announced it had begun work on a bicho vaccine, and its shares rose 14% on the stock market. The news, released the same day as Tedros' letter, has been seen by some as proof that the big laboratories were already preparing for a new business opportunity. Others, however, interpret it as a logical market reaction to a real threat.
Tedros' letter to Tenerife has raised more questions than answers. Is it a gesture of transparency or a narrative-control strategy? Was the Mallorca drill a coincidence or a dress rehearsal? The only thing that is clear is that trust in global health institutions remains at rock bottom, and every move by the WHO is scrutinised closely.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (53 replies).
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