#Hantavirus #outbreak on a cruise #ship in the South Atlantic

 

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On May 2, 2026, a cluster of severe respiratory illness among passengers aboard a cruise ship in the Atlantic was reported to WHO, and a suspected hantavirus outbreak was identified. The vessel departed from Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1, 2026, carrying 147 individuals (88 passengers and 59 crew members) from 23 countries.1 This event raises concerns about surveillance, outbreak response, containment, and the potential for international spread of hantavirus. As of May 4, 2026, seven cases (two laboratory confirmed and five suspected) have been identified, including three deaths, corresponding to a crude case-fatality rate of more than 40%.1 All patients presented with fever or gastrointestinal symptoms, or both, with rapid progression to pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and shock in severe cases.1 The overall attack rate was 4·8% (seven of 147 individuals on board infected).1

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Link: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00934-7/fulltext?rss=yes

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