Eight cases of rare hantavirus confirmed on cruise ship; U.S. monitors passengers
A deadly outbreak of hantavirus aboard the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius has sickened eight people and killed three, according to the World Health Organization. The ship departed Argentina in April and traveled across the South Atlantic before authorities identified the virus, caused by the rare Andes strain. This is the first confirmed cluster of human-to-human transmission of Andes virus on record. The CDC has classified this as a Level Three emergency response. Six U.S. states are now monitoring passengers who disembarked early and returned home—Georgia, Texas, Arizona, Virginia, California, and New Jersey. Health officials emphasize the risk to the general American public remains extremely low. Notably, the Andes virus strain is found in South America, and the rodents that carry it are not present in the U.S. No cases have been reported domestically. Remaining passengers and crew are being evacuated to the Canary Islands for quarantine and repatriation.
Key facts
- Eight cases of hantavirus confirmed or suspected as of May 8, 2026, with six laboratory-confirmed and three deaths
- Andes virus strain is the only hantavirus known to spread person-to-person, but transmission is rare and typically requires close, prolonged contact
- Six U.S. states monitoring returning passengers: Georgia (2), Texas (2), Arizona (1), Virginia (1), California (1), and New Jersey (2 exposed via air travel)
- None of the monitored U.S. passengers or contacts are showing symptoms as of May 9, 2026
- MV Hondius departed Ushuaia, Argentina on April 1, 2026, and traveled to remote islands in South Atlantic including Antarctica and Saint Helena
- Seventeen American passengers aboard will quarantine at University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, a Level 4 biosafety facility
- Incubation period for Andes virus is 4 to 42 days, meaning new cases could emerge for weeks
- Fatality rate for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is approximately 38-40% when respiratory symptoms develop
Limits of this briefing
Investigations into how the virus reached the ship and the exact transmission pathways remain ongoing. The long incubation period means cases could continue to emerge among cruise participants for several weeks, which may alter risk assessments.
Sources
- CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention): 2026 Multi-country Hantavirus Cluster Linked to Cruise Ship Centre
- WHO (World Health Organization): Hantavirus cluster linked to cruise ship travel, Multi-country Centre
- NBC News: Hantavirus response in the U.S.: 7 states prepare to receive cruise ship passengers Centre
- STAT News: Key takeaways from WHO briefing on hantavirus cruise ship outbreak Centre
- Washington Post: Americans from hantavirus-hit cruise ship to quarantine in Nebraska Centre