GENEVA — Health authorities worldwide are monitoring passengers from a Dutch cruise ship after a cluster of hantavirus cases was reported among those on board, the World Health Organization said.
As of May 8, 2026, eight cases have been identified, including six laboratory-confirmed infections with the Andes virus and two probable cases, according to WHO. Three deaths have been reported.
The cases occurred among passengers and crew of the MV Hondius, which departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1, 2026, for a voyage that included stops in Antarctica and other South Atlantic locations before heading toward the Canary Islands. The ship carried 147 people from multiple countries at the time the cluster was detected.
WHO was notified on May 2 by British authorities of severe acute respiratory illness among passengers, including initial deaths. Laboratory testing confirmed hantavirus, specifically the Andes strain, which is known for potential person-to-person transmission in close contact, unlike most hantaviruses primarily spread by rodents.
The ship operator and authorities facilitated medical evacuations and assessments. Passengers disembarked in locations including Tenerife, Spain, with some returned home under monitoring. U.S. health officials, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are tracking American passengers who returned to states such as Nebraska, Georgia and Arizona. Eighteen U.S. passengers were reported repatriated and placed under observation, most remaining asymptomatic.
"WHO has taken a number of actions since it was notified of the situation on Saturday, 2 May 2026," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a briefing. Authorities have deployed experts, supported contact tracing and worked with countries to monitor potentially exposed individuals.
Hantaviruses are typically transmitted through contact with infected rodents or their droppings, saliva or urine. The precise source of exposure in this cluster remains under investigation, with possible links to excursions in rodent-prone areas in South America.
Countries including the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United States and others with nationals on the vessel have activated contact tracing for those who disembarked earlier. Officials have described the risk to the general public as low, emphasizing that transmission generally requires close, prolonged contact.
As of May 13, monitoring of contacts continues internationally, with no reports of further community transmission. Investigations into additional potential cases and the full extent of exposure are ongoing, WHO said.
The MV Hondius is operated by Oceanwide Expeditions. Further updates on the epidemiological situation are expected as testing and tracing efforts proceed.
