#Hantavirus #cluster linked to cruise #ship travel, Multi-country (#WHO D.O.N., May 9 '26)

 

8 May 2026

Situation at a glance

-- On 2 May 2026, a cluster of passengers with severe respiratory illness aboard a cruise ship was reported to the World Health Organization (WHO). 

-- At that time, according to the ship operator, 147 passengers and crew were onboard, and 34 passengers and crew had previously disembarked. 

-- Since the last Disease Outbreak News published on 4 May, three of the suspected cases were confirmed, and one additional confirmed case was reported. 

-- As of 8 May, a total of eight cases, including three deaths (case fatality ratio 38%), have been reported. 

-- Six cases have been laboratory-confirmed as hantavirus infections, with all identified as Andes virus (ANDV). 

-- Through the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) channel, National IHR Focal Points (NFPs) have all been informed and are supporting international contact tracing. 

-- WHO assesses the risk to the global population posed by this event as low and will continue to monitor the epidemiological situation and update the risk assessment. 

-- The risk for passengers and crew on the ship is considered moderate.

Description of the situation

-- On 2 May 2026, WHO received notification from the National IHR Focal Point of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (hereafter referred to as the United Kingdom) regarding a cluster of severe acute respiratory illness, including two deaths and one critically ill passenger, aboard a Dutch-flagged cruise ship.

-- Since the last Disease Outbreak News was published on 4 May, three of the suspected cases were confirmed, and one additional confirmed case was reported. 

-- As of 8 May, a total of eight cases (six confirmed and two probable cases), including three deaths (two confirmed and one probable), case fatality ratio 38%, have been reported. 

-- All six laboratory-confirmed cases were identified as Andes virus through virus specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or sequencing.

-- Two medical evacuation flights, from Cabo Verde, carrying two symptomatic confirmed patients and one previously suspected case landed in the Netherlands on 6 and 7 May. 

-- As of 8 May, four patients are currently hospitalised, one in intensive care in Johannesburg, South Africa, two in different hospitals in the Netherlands and the other in Zurich, Switzerland. 

-- The previously suspected case was transferred directly to Germany, where she was tested, and both PCR and serology tests were negative for Andes virus, she is therefore no longer considered to be a case.

-- Contact tracing of passengers who disembarked in St Helena is ongoing; passengers have been contacted and advised to self-monitor for symptoms. 

-- Additionally, passengers who travelled on the same flight from St Helena to South Africa with one of the cases who was subsequently confirmed, have been contacted.

-- On 6 May, the ship left Cabo Verde, heading to the Canary Islands, Spain where disembarkation is planned.

-- Further investigations into the potential exposure of the first case and the source of the outbreak are ongoing in collaboration with authorities in Argentina and Chile. 

-- The outbreak is being managed through a coordinated international response, including in-depth epidemiological investigations, case isolation and clinical management, medical evacuations, laboratory testing and international contact tracing and monitoring.

Summary of confirmed and probable cases:

-- Case 1: 

- An adult male who boarded the ship on 1 April, after more than three months of travel in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay. 

- Developed symptoms on 6 April and died onboard on 11 April. 

- No microbiological tests were performed. 

- He is considered a probable case.

-- Case 2: 

- An adult female, who was a close contact of case 1, who travelled and boarded the ship with him, went ashore at Saint Helena on 24 April with gastrointestinal symptoms. 

- She subsequently deteriorated on a flight to Johannesburg, South Africa, on 25 April. 

- She died on 26 April in a Johannesburg clinic. 

- On 4 May, she was subsequently confirmed by PCR testing with hantavirus infection.

-- Case 3: 

- An adult male who developed symptoms on 24 April. 

- He was disembarked and medically evacuated from Ascension Island on 27 April and is currently hospitalised in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in Johannesburg, South Africa. 

- PCR testing confirmed hantavirus infection on 2 May, and Andes virus was confirmed through sequencing.

-- Case 4: 

- An adult female, with onset of symptoms (fever and general malaise) on 28 April, later presenting with pneumonia, died on 2 May. 

- A post-mortem sample was collected and sent to the Netherlands with the evacuated patients, where it was confirmed to be Andes virus.

-- Case 5: 

- An adult male, working as the ship doctor, reported onset of symptoms on 30 April, including fever, fatigue, muscle pain, and mild respiratory symptoms. 

- His samples confirmed PCR positivity for Andes virus on 6 May. 

- The case was medically evacuated to the Netherlands on 6 May and is currently stable in isolation.

-- Case 6: 

- An adult male, working as a ship guide. 

- Onset of symptoms was reported on 27 April with mild respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms. 

- Laboratory samples confirmed PCR positivity for Andes virus on 6 May. 

- The case was medically evacuated to the Netherlands on 7 May and is currently stable in isolation.

-- Case 7: 

- An adult male, who disembarked in St Helena on 22 April and flew back to Switzerland on 27-28 April, through South Africa and Qatar. 

- He started experiencing symptoms on 1 May after arrival in Switzerland, where he immediately self-isolated and reported to local public health authorities. 

- He is currently hospitalised and in isolation in Switzerland. 

- His samples confirmed PCR positivity for Andes virus on 5 May.[1]

-- Case 8: 

- An adult male, who disembarked in Tristan da Cunha on 14 April. 

- Onset of symptoms was reported on 28 April with diarrhoea and two days later with fever. 

- He is currently stable and in isolation. 

- He is currently a probable case until laboratory confirmation.

-- One case previously reported as suspected has now been reclassified as a non-case after testing negative for Andes virus through PCR and serology. 

- Nevetheless, monitoring continues until the end of their incubation period from last exposure.  

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Operational outbreak case definitions

-- Suspected case: 

- anyone who shared or visited a conveyance where there has been a confirmed or probable ANDV case 

* AND * 

- with acute (or history of) symptoms compatible with ANDV infection, including fever (38°C or above),  myalgia, chills, acute gastrointestinal (e.g. nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain) or acute respiratory (e.g. cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, difficulty breathing) symptoms.

-- Probable case: 

- a person with signs and symptoms of a suspected case that has been evaluated by a health professional 

* AND * 

- a known epidemiological link with a confirmed or probable ANDV case 

* AND * 

- for which laboratory results have not been conducted.

-- Confirmed case: 

-- a person with laboratory confirmation of ANDV through RT-PCR or serology testing.

-- Non-case*: 

- a suspected or probable case who tests negative for ANDV by RT-PCR or serology.

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{*} Non-cases who develop symptoms compatible with the suspected case definition after a negative test and within the maximum incubation period after last exposure to a probable or confirmed case should be retested and reclassified as appropriate. 

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-- Based on currently available information, the working hypothesis is that case 1 most probably acquired the infection prior to boarding through environmental exposure during activities he conducted in Argentina and Chile. 

-- Investigations are ongoing to assess the full itinerary of his activities and possible exposure factors. 

-- Current evidence points to subsequent human-to-human transmission onboard (Figure 1), given documented epidemiological links of some of the subsequent cases with case 1 during his illness, and the timing of their symptom onset, which clusters around the most likely incubation periods previously documented for ANDV. 

-- However, ongoing epidemiological and sequencing investigations will help better understand the epidemiological links between cases and their most likely exposure.

Epidemiology

-- Hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS), also known as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), is a zoonotic, viral respiratory disease caused by hantaviruses of the genus Orthohantavirus, family Hantaviridae, order Bunyavirales. 

-- More than 20 viral species have been identified within this genus. 

-- In the Americas, Sin Nombre virus is the predominant cause of HPS in North America, while Orthohantavirus andesense is responsible for most cases in South America.

-- Hantaviruses found in Europe and Asia are known to cause haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), which primarily affects the kidneys and blood vessels. 

-- Human-to-human transmission has not been documented in this part of the world.

-- Human Hantavirus infection is primarily acquired through contact with the urine, faeces, or saliva of infected rodents or by touching contaminated surfaces. 

-- Exposure typically occurs during activities such as cleaning buildings with rodent infestations, though it may also occur during routine activities in heavily infested areas. 

-- Human cases are most commonly reported in rural settings, such as forests, fields, and farms, where rodents are present, and opportunities for exposure are greater. 

-- HPS is characterized by headache, dizziness, chills, fever, myalgia, and gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and abdominal pain, followed by sudden onset of respiratory distress and hypotension. 

-- Symptoms of HPS typically occur from 1-6 weeks after initial exposure to the virus. However, symptoms may appear as early as one week and as late as eight weeks following exposure.

-- Hantavirus infections are relatively uncommon globally.  

-- In 2025, in the Region of the Americas, eight countries reported 229 cases and 59 deaths with a CFR of 25.7%.[2] 

-- In the European Region, 1885 hantavirus infections were reported in 2023 (0.4 per 100 000), marking the lowest rate observed between 2019 and 2023.[3] 

-- In East Asia, particularly China and the Republic of Korea, hantavirus haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) continues to account for many thousands of cases annually, although incidence has declined in recent decades.

-- Hantavirus infections are associated with a case fatality rate of <1–15% in Asia and Europe and up to 50% in the Americas. 

-- While there are no licensed treatment nor vaccines for hantavirus infections, early supportive care and immediate referral to a facility with a complete ICU can improve survival.

-- Environmental and ecological factors affecting rodent populations can influence disease trends seasonally. Since hantavirus reservoirs are sylvatic rodents, transmission can occur when people come into contact with rodent habitats.

-- Although uncommon, limited human‑to‑human transmission of HPS due to Andes virus has been reported in community settings involving close and prolonged contact. 

-- Secondary infections among healthcare workers have been previously documented in healthcare facilities, though remain rare. 

-- Secondary transmission appears most likely during the early phase of illness, when the virus is more transmissible.[4] 

-- Currently, little evidence is available due to the scarcity of hantavirus outbreak related to human-to-human transmission.

Public health response

-- Authorities from States Parties involved in the management of the event to date –  Argentina, Cabo Verde, Chile, Germany, the Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom –  WHO, and partners have initiated coordinated response measures including:

-- Ongoing engagement between WHO and the National IHR Focal Points of Argentina, Cabo Verde, Chile, Germany, the Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, to ensure timely information sharing and coordination of response actions. International contact tracing involving partners is ongoing.

-- Passengers onboard have been advised to practice physical distancing and remain in their cabins where possible, while on the cruise ship.

-- One expert from WHO and one from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) are on board the ship for the provision of public health advice to passengers during the journey.

-- Epidemiological investigations are underway to determine the source of exposure.

-- WHO shared information about the event,  technical guidance on the management of hantavirus on board the ship, a technical note for the disembarkation and onward management of passengers and crew, information on the management of contacts of Andes virus cases, its rapid risk assessment of the associated public health risk, case investigation forms and details on primers and probes for Andes virus detection with National IHR Focal Points globally through its secure Event Information Site for IHR NFPs to support States Parties in responding to the event.

-- The National IHR Focal Points of countries with cases have shared passenger and crew lists with the National IHR Focal Points of the respective countries, according to each person’s nationality. IHR NFP international contact tracing efforts are ongoing for conveyances.

-- The National IHR Focal Point of Argentina requested information, which has been provided, on the first two cases to reconstruct their travel itinerary in the Southern Cone subregion of the Americas and assess any potential exposure to hantavirus.

-- In line with the Working Arrangement between the WHO Emergency Medical Team (EMT) Secretariat and the EU Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC), the EMT Secretariat has launched formal discussions to support the clinical management and medical evacuation of symptomatic passengers. EU Health Task Force (EUHTF) has also been activated for support.

-- Logistic support has been provided, including sample collection items. WHO supported the shipment of samples to the Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Senegal.

-- Laboratory testing and confirmation of hantavirus infection have been conducted at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) of South Africa. Identification of Andes virus was performed through genomic sequencing at NICD and virus-specific PCR at Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland.

-- WHO supported collaboration across laboratories to ensure further timely testing, involving laboratories in Senegal, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Argentina. Further testing is currently on-going including serology, sequencing and metagenomics.

-- WHO has developed guidance documents in support of countries affected by the event, including covering management of the event on the ship, investigation of cases, disembarkation and management of returning passengers and crew members.

-- Risk communication coordination and support are being provided to ensure sharing of regular, timely and evidence-based information. WHO has activated three-level coordination and is supporting national authorities in implementing risk-based, evidence-informed public health measures in accordance with the provisions of the IHR and related WHO technical guidance documents.

WHO risk assessment

-- WHO currently assesses the public health risk related to the cruise ship as moderate, and at the Global level as low for the following reasons:

- The disease can have a high case fatality ratio, reaching 40-50%, particularly among elderly individuals and those with co-morbidities. 

- The average age of passengers on board the ship is 65 years old.

- Andes virus has demonstrated limited human-to-human transmission in previous outbreaks, typically occurring among close contacts and within household settings, generally requiring prolonged close exposure. 

- Transmission can usually be contained through early detection, isolation of cases, clinical management, and contact tracing. 

- However, the ship environment presents an increased risk due to close living quarters, shared indoor spaces, prolonged exposure, and frequent interpersonal interactions, all of which may facilitate transmission.

- Investigations on the travel history and potential exposures of the first case in the Southern Cone subregion of the Americas are ongoing and suggest possible exposure to rodents during bird watching activities. 

- Viral sequencing analyses are also ongoing and will compare the ANDV strain associated with this outbreak with strains circulating in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, where the disease is enzootic.

- Additional cases may occur among individuals exposed before implementation of containment measures. However, the current response, including rapid isolation of any new suspect cases and the monitoring of contacts, is expected to limit the risk of further spread.

- As there is no specific antiviral treatment for HPS, suspected cases require prompt transfer to an adequately equipped emergency department or intensive care unit, where available, for close monitoring and supportive management to improve chances of recovery. 

- Consequently, rapid transfer to a mainland healthcare facility is required, which may be challenging under the current conditions.

- More detailed epidemiological, clinical and laboratory investigations are required to inform further iterations of this risk assessment. 

WHO advice

-- WHO advises that States Parties involved in this event continue public health coordination and management efforts on board conveyances and in countries where cases and/or contacts are present or will be returning to.

-- This includes contact tracing and monitoring detection, investigation, reporting of suspected cases, laboratory testing of suspected cases, case management, infection prevention and control measures, and clear and transparent communication to affected individuals and the general public.

-- In the context of the current outbreak, people on board the affected ship and flights should practice frequent hand hygiene, monitor any early symptoms, including headache, dizziness, chills, fever, myalgia, and gastrointestinal problems, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and abdominal pain, for 42 days after last potential exposure. 

-- Should any early symptoms or sudden onset of respiratory distress occur, people should immediately inform health authorities and self-isolate until medical evaluation is conducted. If respiratory symptoms are present, people should practice respiratory etiquette and wear a medical mask.

-- A precautionary approach should be applied to contact identification, classification, tracing and follow-up, particularly for persons exposed on board of the ship or during travel. 

-- Contacts should be classified according to exposure risk, considering the intensity and duration of exposure, proximity to the case, exposure to enclosed or shared spaces, and use of personal protective equipment.

-- High-risk contacts may include cabin mates, intimate partners, persons with prolonged close indoor exposure, healthcare workers with unprotected exposure, and individuals handling contaminated materials or body fluids without appropriate personal protective equipment. 

-- High-risk contacts should undergo active symptom monitoring by a local public health authority for 42 days following the last exposure, while low-risk contacts should undertake passive self-monitoring and seek medical evaluation if symptoms occur. 

-- Contact investigations should use available information sources, including interviews, passenger manifests, seating arrangements and activity logs, to improve completeness of contact identification. 

-- Current evidence does not support usefulness of routine laboratory testing or quarantine of asymptomatic contacts.

-- Early recognition of suspected cases, prompt isolation, and consistent adherence to recommended infection prevention and control measures remain essential to protect healthcare personnel, other passengers and crew members.

-- In healthcare environments, standard precautions* should be applied for all patients, including hand hygiene, environmental cleaning and waste management. 

-- In addition to standard precautions, transmission-based precautions should be implemented for management of suspect or confirmed cases. For aerosol-generating procedures, airborne precautions should be used. [5]

-- When HPS is suspected, patients should be promptly transferred to an emergency department or intensive care unit for close monitoring and supportive management.

-- Initial management should include supportive care with antipyretics and analgesics as needed. 

-- For confirmed hantavirus, antibiotics are not routinely indicated. However, before a definitive diagnosis is established (and bacterial infection is a diagnostic possibility), or if superadded bacterial infection is suspected, empiric broad-spectrum antibiotics may be appropriate. 

-- Clinical management relies primarily on careful fluid administration, hemodynamic monitoring, and respiratory support. 

-- Given the rapid progression of HCPS, close monitoring and early transfer to ICU are critical for more severe cases. 

-- Mechanical ventilation, meticulous volume control, and vasopressors may be required. 

-- For severe cardiopulmonary insufficiency, extracorporeal mechanical oxygenation may be lifesaving. In severe cases of renal dysfunction, dialysis may be required.

-- Although ribavirin has shown efficacy against hantavirus haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, it has not demonstrated effectiveness for HCPS and is not licensed for either treatment or prophylaxis of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.  

-- At present, there is no specific antiviral treatment approved for HCPS; a number of existing drugs have antiviral activity in laboratory studies but not yet demonstrated in human disease.

-- Public health awareness efforts should focus on improving early detection, ensuring timely treatment, and reducing exposure risks. Preventive measures should address occupational and ecotourism-related exposures, emphasize infection prevention and control measures, and include rodent control strategies. Most routine tourism activities carry little or no risk of exposure to rodents or their excreta.

-- Risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) interventions should prioritize transparent, timely, and culturally appropriate communications to raise awareness of hantavirus transmission risks—particularly. 

-- RCCE strategies should support coordinated, timely and aligned evidence based information to ensure concerned people receive clear, consistent and actionable information and explanations of the public health measures. Operational measures should integrate RCCE activities through the whole event. The implementation of integrated environmental management strategies aimed at reducing rodent populations is also recommended.

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{*} Standard precautions refer to a set of practices that are applied to the care of patients, regardless of the state of infection (suspicion or confirmation), in any place where health services are provided. These practices aim to protect both healthcare professionals and patients and include hand hygiene, use of personal protective equipment, respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette, safe handling of sharps materials, safe injection practices, use of sterile instruments and equipment and cleaning of hospital environments and the environment. Adapted from “Standard precautions for the prevention and control of infections: aide-memoire”- WHO, 2022.  Available at https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-UHL-IHS-IPC-2022.1}  

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-- WHO advises against the application of any travel or trade restrictions based on the current information available on this event. 

Further information

-- World Health Organization. Hantavirus fact sheet. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hantavirus 

-- World Health Organization.WHO’s response to hantavirus cases linked to a cruise ship. https://www.who.int/news/item/07-05-2026-who-s-response-to-hantavirus-cases-linked-to-a-cruise-ship 

-- World Health Organization. Handbook for management of public health events on board ships https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241549462

-- World Health Organization. Guide to Ship Sanitation, 3rd edition https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241546690

-- World Health Organization. Vector surveillance and control at ports, airports and ground crossings https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241549592

-- World Health Organization. Hantavirus outbreak toolbox. https://www.who.int/emergencies/outbreak-toolkit/disease-outbreak-toolboxes/hantavirus-outbreak-toolbox

-- World Health Organization (4 May 2026). Disease Outbreak News. Hantavirus cluster linked to cruise ship travel- Multi-country. Available at: https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2026-DON599 

-- World Health Organization. A decision framework for effective, equitable and context-specific public health and social measures during public health emergencies: decision navigator: https://iris.who.int/server/api/core/bitstreams/ceaf4aa7-00c8-4681-9c35-965e231a3706/content

-- Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization. PAHO supports the international response to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome cases linked to a cruise ship in the Atlantic. https://www.paho.org/en/news/7-5-2026-paho-supports-international-response-hantavirus-pulmonary-syndrome-cases-linked 

-- Epidemiological Alert Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS). https://www.paho.org/en/documents/epidemiological-alert-hantavirus-pulmonary-syndrome-americas-region-19-december-2025  

-- Hantavirus in the Americas: Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment, prevention and control. Available at: https://iris.paho.org/handle/10665.2/40176

-- Hantavirus Prevention, CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/prevention/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/hps/prevention.html

-- Martínez Valeria, Paola N, et al.. (2020). “Super-Spreaders” and Person-to-Person Transmission of Andes Virus in Argentina. New England Journal of Medicine. 383. 2230-2241. 10.1056/NEJMoa2009040.

-- US CDC. How to Clean Up After Rodents: https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-pets/rodent-control/clean-up.html

-- Hantavirus, Washington State Department of Heath, https://doh.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-08/420-056-Guideline-Hantavirus.pdf

-- Hantavirus Infection, MDS Manual, professional version: https://www.msdmanuals.com/professional/infectious-diseases/arboviruses-arenaviridae-and-filoviridae/hantavirus-infection

-- Handbook for management of public health events on board ships. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241549462

-- Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hantavirus-pulmonary-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20351838

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[1] Complete sequence of Orthohantavirus andesense virus: Swiss resident 2026. https://virological.org/t/complete-sequence-of-orthohantavirus-andesense-virus-swiss-resident-2026/1023

[2] Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO). Epidemiological Alert Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS). https://www.paho.org/en/documents/epidemiological-alert-hantavirus-pulmonary-syndrome-americas-region-19-december-2025  

[3] Hantavirus infection - Annual Epidemiological Report for 2023. https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/hantavirus-infection-annual-epidemiological-report-2023

[4] WHO fact sheet. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hantavirus

[5] Standard precautions for the prevention and control of infections: aide-memoire. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-UHL-IHS-IPC-2022.1 

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Citable reference: World Health Organization (8 May 2026). Disease Outbreak News. Hantavirus cluster linked to cruise ship travel, Multi-country. Available at: https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2026-DON600

Source: 

Link: https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2026-DON600

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{#Hantavirus} #Spain #Government holding seven coordination #meetings today with countries involved and with Government of the Canary Islands (May 7 '26)

 

• Mónica García and Ángel Víctor Torres have met with the President of the Canary Islands to analyze the situation and the procedure to follow for the transfer of the passengers of the MV Hondius.
• Anchoring the ship in Granadilla (Tenerife) is an option that was already being considered due to the technical characteristics of the Port, which is not prepared for the disembarkation of people.

Madrid, May 7, 2026 - The Minister of Health, Mónica García, and the Minister of Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, Ángel Víctor Torres, held an information meeting today with the President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Health, regarding the protocols that will be followed with the passengers of the MV Hondius who will disembark in the Canary Islands, for their control and subsequent transfer to Madrid, in the case of the 14 Spaniards, and to their countries of origin, in the case of the rest of the passengers.

This meeting is part of the ongoing communication that has existed between the Government of Spain and the Government of the Canary Islands at both a technical and institutional level since the beginning of the hantavirus health crisis.

Ministers García and Torres have expressed their full willingness to assist since learning of the infections on the cruise ship and their commitment to ensuring that the transfers are carried out with the utmost safety for both the patients and the public. 

In this regard, the Canary Islands president has been informed that the 147 passengers currently en route to the Canary Islands from Cape Verde remain asymptomatic and that the option of anchoring the ship upon arrival at the Port of Granadilla (Tenerife) was already being considered for various reasons, including the port's technical limitations, as it is not equipped for disembarking passengers.

In addition to appealing for responsibility and trust in science, the ministers recalled that today, as has been the case since Tuesday, two more technical meetings are planned between the Ministries of Health and the Interior with the Government of the Canary Islands, which are part of the seven coordination meetings that the Government of Spain will hold today with the Government delegations and, at the European level, with those responsible for health security and Civil Protection of the EU.

Source: 

Link: https://www.sanidad.gob.es/gabinete/notasPrensa.do?id=6902

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#Statement on the M/V #Hondius Cruise #Ship {#Andes Virus #Cluster of Cases} (#US CDC, May 7 '26)

 

The Administration is closely monitoring the situation with U.S. travelers onboard the M/V Hondius cruise ship with confirmed hantavirus. 

Our top priority remains the health and safety of all U.S. passengers. 

The Department of State is leading a coordinated, whole-of-government response including direct contact with passengers, diplomatic coordination, and engagement with domestic and international health authorities.

As the world's leader in global health security, the US government is using our premier health experts to guide our response to this evolving situation. We are working closely with our international partners to provide technical assistance and guidance to mitigate risk.

At this time, the risk to the American public is extremely low. We urge all Americans aboard the ship to follow the guidance of health officials as we work to bring you home safely.

Further information is available at: About Hantavirus | Hantavirus | CDC

Source: 

Link: https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2026-hantavirus-confirmed-cruise-ship.html

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Cluster of #Hantavirus (#Andes strain) on international cruise ship. #Taiwan CDC #Update (May 7 '26): 13 high-risk contact passengers disembarked in St Helena

 

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced today (May 7) that the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a disease outbreak notification on May 4, 2026, regarding a Hantavirus Andes virus cluster outbreak on the Dutch-flagged international cruise ship MV Hondius during its voyage in the South Atlantic. 

As of May 5, the WHO has identified 8 cruise ship-related cases, including 3 deaths. 

Of the 8 cases, 3 have been laboratory-confirmed as Hantavirus infections, and the viral genome sequencing of 2 of these cases has confirmed Andes virus, with the sequencing of the remaining cases still underway. 

The WHO believes the most likely scenario for this cluster outbreak is that a passenger contracted Hantavirus through environmental exposure while traveling in Argentina or the Southern Cone region of South America, boarded the ship during the incubation period, and subsequently spread the virus through prolonged close contact, resulting in human-to-human transmission to 2 confirmed cases and at least 1 suspected case. 

Based on current epidemiological and laboratory information, the WHO assesses the overall risk of this event on the cruise ship as moderate and globally as low. 

Given that the outbreak is confined to a single international cruise ship and a few cases exported after disembarkation, and that there is currently no Andean virus animal host (the long-tailed rice rat) in Taiwan, the risk of direct importation into Taiwan is limited, and the domestic risk is low. 

There is currently no need to raise the travel alert level. 

However, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has formed a special task force to closely monitor the event and has adjusted prevention and control measures according to WHO and international recommendations. 

The CDC explains that the "Hondias" will depart from Ushuaia, Argentina on April 1, 2026, traversing the South Atlantic Ocean, with stops including the Antarctic mainland, South Georgia, Nightingale Island, Tristan da Cunha, St. Helena, and Ascension Island—all highly biodiverse and remote areas. 

The ship carried 147 people, including 86 passengers and 61 crew members from 23 countries, and had been anchored off Cabo Verde since May 4. 

Further investigation revealed that 26 passengers disembarked near Saint Helena, 13 of whom were identified as high-risk contacts; one of these passengers returned home from Saint Helena on a commercial flight. 

On May 5, Switzerland reported a cruise ship passenger who tested positive for Andean virus via PCR and is currently under isolation and treatment in Switzerland. 

The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) emphasized that all previous local and imported Hantavirus cases in Taiwan have been of the "Seoul virus," a type with lower severity and mortality rate, and the Andean virus present in this cruise ship incident has never been detected. 

Furthermore, there have only been two imported cases in the past: one from China in 2007 and one from Indonesia in 2019; there have been no imported cases from South America. 

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) will continue to closely monitor the epidemic situation and strengthen public awareness campaigns to remind people traveling to South America not to come into contact with rodents, in order to reduce the threat of imported cases from South America. The public can rest assured.

Source: 

Link: https://www.cdc.gov.tw/Bulletin/Detail/l26a4ubInJSp3tioH9HjiA?typeid=9

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#UK Health Security Agency: #update on the #hantavirus cruise #ship #outbreak (May 6 '26)

 

Published: 6 May 2026

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) continues to work with the World Health Organization (WHO), Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), and other international partners to prepare for the arrival of British nationals to the UK from the MV Hondius cruise ship where an outbreak of Hantavirus was confirmed.

Three people, including one British national, with suspected hantavirus have been evacuated from the Hondius in order to receive medical care in the Netherlands in co-ordination between the Cape Verde, UK and Dutch governments. UKHSA are in close contact with medical teams providing their care.   

The remaining British nationals can now be repatriated once the ship docks at its next destination if they do not develop symptoms. 

None of the British citizens onboard are currently reporting symptoms but they are being closely monitored. 

The FCDO is making arrangements for these individuals to return to the UK, where UKHSA is working with government to support them to isolate with regular testing and contact with healthcare professionals.

UKHSA is aware of two people who have returned to the UK independently having been on board the MV Hondius. Neither of these individuals is currently reporting symptoms. They are receiving advice and support from UKHSA and have been advised to self-isolate. 

UKHSA are supporting a small number of individuals identified as close contacts of those on the boat. 

They are being offered support and are also self-isolating. None are reporting any symptoms. 

The risk to the general public remains very low.

Dr Meera Chand, Deputy Director for Epidemic and Emerging Infections at UKHSA said:

''Our thoughts are with all those affected by the hantavirus outbreak onboard the MV Hondius.

''It’s important to reassure people that the risk to the general public remains very low. We are standing up arrangements to support, isolate and monitor British nationals from the ship on their return to the UK and we are contact tracing anyone who may have been in contact with the ship or the hantavirus cases to limit the risk of onward transmission.

''UKHSA will continue to work closely with government partners to offer all necessary support.

UKHSA is working closely with the FCDO, the Home Office, and Border Force to trace further individuals who may have been on the same flight as a confirmed case, in order to carry out public health risk assessments and ensure appropriate precautionary measures are in place.

Hantavirus is the name given to a group of viruses carried by rodents and transmitted by their droppings and urine. They can cause a range of diseases from mild, flu-like illness to severe respiratory illness. Infections in humans are rare and tend to occur in places where people and rodents coexist - most commonly in rural, agricultural settings, though the viruses can also sometimes be found in cleaning sheds, barns and holiday homes where rodents might have nested.

Most hantaviruses do not spread easily between humans, although person-to-person transmission has been observed in some cases involving particular strains. The World Health Organization is leading the international response to this incident and overseeing direction of the ship, including advising on how to minimise the risk of the disease spreading.

The FCDO is in direct contact with the ship and has stood up consular teams across multiple countries to support British nationals. UK government is working extremely closely with international partners in response to this incident, including the cruise ship operator and the governments of overseas territories which were visited by the ship.

Further information on Hantavirus can be found in the recent blog from UKHSA.

Source: 

Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ukhsa-update-on-the-hantavirus-cruise-ship-outbreak

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#Switzerland, #Patient with a #hantavirus #infection being treated in hospital (Min. of Health, May 6 '26)

 

Bern, 06.05.2026 — One person with a hantavirus infection is currently being treated at the University Hospital Zurich (USZ). 

The patient is male and returned to Switzerland after travelling on the cruise ship on which there were a number of hantavirus cases. 

The USZ is prepared to deal with such cases, is able to care for the patient, and guarantee the safety of staff and all patients. 

There is currently no danger to the Swiss public.

One person has tested positive for hantavirus in Switzerland. The man had returned from a trip to South America with his wife at the end of April. 

Having noticed symptoms, he telephoned his GP and went to the University Hospital Zurich (USZ) for further assessment. 

There, he was immediately placed in isolation. A test that was carried out at the reference laboratory at the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) revealed a positive result for hantavirus. 

It concerns the Andes virus, a hantavirus that occurs in South America. 

Unlike the European hantaviruses, which are transmitted through excretions of infected rodents, for the American hantavirus variant, person-to-person transmission has also been documented in rare cases. 

However, transmission only occurs through close contact. 

The FOPH therefore considers the occurrence of further cases in Switzerland unlikely. 

The risk to the public in Switzerland is low.

The patient’s wife accompanied him on the trip. She has not yet shown any symptoms but is self-isolating as a precaution. 

The cantonal authorities are currently investigating whether the patient came into contact with other people during the infectious period. 

Appropriate safety measures are in place at the USZ for the patient's treatment. The USZ is the reference hospital for such diseases.

The FOPH is in close contact with other bodies, such as the Zurich cantonal authorities, Zurich and Geneva university hospitals and the WHO, is coordinating with them on an ongoing basis, and is monitoring developments closely.

Hantavirus fever is rare in Switzerland. In recent years there have been between 0 and 6 reported cases a year. Of these few cases, the vast majority are attributable to infections acquired abroad.

Source: 

Link: https://www.bag.admin.ch/en/newnsb/p--A7yPSfxdBqR0N9kZMC

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#Hantavirus #outbreak {in cruise ship}: Another #passenger contracts disease {total so far 8, of these 3 confirmed} (UN News Centre, May 6 '26)

 

It’s been confirmed that another passenger from the cruise liner linked to the outbreak of hantavirus has contracted the disease, which has claimed the lives of three people on board and sparked an international alert coordinated by the UN World Health Organization (WHO).

The individual, who is male, had been travelling on the Dutch-flagged vessel, the Hondius, at the centre of the outbreak. 

He is being treated in a Zurich hospital after returning to Switzerland and responding to an email from the ship’s operator.

“In line with the International Health Regulations (IHR), WHO is working with relevant countries to support international contact tracing, to ensure that those potentially exposed are monitored and that any further disease spread is limited,” the agency said in a post on X.

As of Wednesday, three of the ship’s 147 passengers have died since it sailed across the Atlantic Ocean from Argentina, to its current berth off the coast of Cabo Verde, according to the WHO. 

On X, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reported that three passengers “have just been evacuated” from the ship and were en route to the Netherlands for treatment.

“At this stage, the overall public health risk remains low,” Tedros stressed.

Expedition ship

Publicly available data indicates that the vessel was built in Croatia and launched in June 2018. The Hondius is around 108 metres long and is listed under ship identification number 9818709 with the UN International Maritime Organization (IMO). 

The vessel has capacity for 196 passengers and 72 crew; it is named after the 17th century map publisher and engraver Jodocus Hondius. 

The expedition ship’s maiden voyage in 2019 took it from Vlissingen in the Netherlands to the volcanic island of Jan Mayen and Spitzbergen in the Arctic Circle.

The UN agency said that the victims may have been infected with the disease prior to boarding. It has reported eight cases of infection so far, including three confirmed as Andes hantavirus by laboratory testing.

On Tuesday, the WHO said that one individual was in intensive care in South Africa, although their condition was “improving”. 

Work to identify the virus has involved the National Institute for Communicable Diseases in South Africa and Geneva University Hospitals (HUG). The Pasteur Institute in Dakar and Argentina’s National Administration of Health Laboratories and Institutes also provided further “critical” support, WHO noted.

Patient care is ‘highest priority’

“WHO will continue to work with countries to ensure that the patients, contacts, passengers and crew have the information and support they need to stay safe and prevent spread,” the agency said.

At a press conference on Tuesday, WHO said that the “highest priority” was to evacuate the two ill passengers still on board “to make sure that they have the care that they receive”.

Once the ship reaches the Canary Islands, the agency’s Dr Maria Van Kerkhove explained that the Spanish authorities would carry out a full epidemiological investigation and full disinfection of the ship, before assessing the risk passengers remaining on board.

“We have heard from quite a few people, you know, on the boat. We just want you to know we are working with the ship's operators. We are working with the countries where you are from. We hear you. We know that you are scared.” said Dr. Van Kerkhove, WHO Director (a.i) Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention, speaking to journalists in Geneva on Tuesday.

As a precaution, passengers have been asked to remain in their cabins while disinfection and other public health measures are carried out. 

Source: 

Link: https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/05/1167449

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#Spain, Ministry of Health is coordinating with #WHO and international authorities response to #hantavirus #outbreak on MV #Hondius ship

 

• From the outset, Spain activated international health coordination mechanisms together with the WHO, the ECDC, the European Commission, the Netherlands, South Africa, Cape Verde and the Government of the Canary Islands.
• The three symptomatic cases have been evacuated from the ship. The vessel, which will dock in the port of Granadilla de Abona (Tenerife), is carrying only passengers and crew without symptoms.
• Spanish citizens with habitual residence in Spain will be transferred to the Gómez Ulla Central Defense Hospital in Madrid, where they will undergo quarantine under health supervision.
• The Ministry of Health emphasizes that the risk to the general population is very low and reiterates that interpersonal transmission of Andean hantavirus is extremely rare.
• Spain is acting in compliance with the International Health Regulations and its humanitarian and health protection obligations, especially given the presence of Spanish citizens on board.

Madrid, May 6, 2026 - The Minister of Health appeared at a press conference to report on the situation arising from the hantavirus outbreak detected on the MV Hondius ship, a Dutch vessel from Argentina with an initial destination of Cape Verde after passing through South Africa, in which approximately 150 people of 23 different nationalities are traveling, including 14 Spanish citizens.

The minister explained that the Ministry of Health became aware of the situation last week through international health alert and coordination channels, immediately activating joint monitoring with the World Health Organization (WHO), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the European Commission, the countries involved and the Government of the Canary Islands.

Since the beginning of the crisis, there has been constant coordination between all the administrations and institutions involved. The minister noted that she has been in continuous contact with the president of the Canary Islands government, Fernando Clavijo, while the Secretary of State for Health, the Directorate General of Public Health, Foreign Health, and the technical teams have worked in coordination with their regional and international counterparts to share information, assess risks, and prepare the health response.

Current epidemiological situation

According to updated information, the outbreak currently has eight linked cases, of which three have been confirmed by laboratory testing.

- Three deaths (one confirmed by laboratory test).

- A patient admitted to a hospital in Switzerland with a positive test (he disembarked from the ship in Saint Helena)

- Another patient in ICU in South Africa (the third with a diagnosis)

- Three symptomatic patients have already been evacuated by plane from Cape Verde to Amsterdam (one of them is the doctor)

Formal request for collaboration from the WHO

During the appearance, the minister explained that yesterday afternoon a meeting took place between the technical teams of the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization, in which it was agreed to send a team of international epidemiologists to review the health situation of the ship in Cape Verde.

Subsequently, the WHO stated that Cape Verde does not currently have the necessary capabilities to independently carry out all the epidemiological, environmental and public health assessments required to manage a health incident of this nature.

In light of this situation, the WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, formally requested the collaboration of the Spanish State to facilitate the arrival of the MV Hondius and to carry out the necessary health actions under international coordination.

The minister stressed that Spain's actions respond both to humanitarian principles and to international legal obligations derived from the WHO's International Health Regulations, of which Spain is a State Party.

In this regard, he recalled that Articles 13 and 44 of the Regulation establish the duty of technical and logistical cooperation between countries in the face of international health emergencies, while Articles 27 and 28 expressly regulate the management of infection situations on board international means of transport.

He also pointed out that these treaties are part of the Spanish legal system and are fully binding on public administrations.

Development of the health operation

Mónica García explained that the designed operation clearly distinguishes between symptomatic cases and passengers considered close contacts without symptoms.

Active or symptomatic cases will not travel to the Canary Islands. They will be evacuated directly from Cape Verde via medical aircraft to high-isolation hospital units to receive specialized care.

Meanwhile, those continuing their journey to the Canary Islands are close contacts or passengers without symptoms, whose arrival is expected within an estimated period of between 72 and 96 hours.

The disembarkation will be carried out through controlled health circuits, with direct transfer from the port to the airport and subsequent return to their countries of origin, avoiding at all times transit through spaces open to the general population.

Regarding the Spanish citizens on board, the Ministry is currently verifying whether they maintain their habitual residence in Spain. In those cases where this is the case, their evacuation will be carried out through an operation coordinated by the Ministry of Defense, and they will be transferred to the Gómez Ulla Central Defense Hospital in Madrid, where they will undergo the corresponding quarantine under medical supervision.

In case of the appearance of symptoms, the National Health System will activate the state UATAN network to guarantee immediate and safe care.

The minister wanted to convey a message of reassurance to the public, insisting that the risk to the general population remains very low.

Although hantavirus can have a high mortality rate in certain severe clinical forms, especially respiratory ones, the Ministry has explained that the specific context of the outbreak —a ship with close and prolonged cohabitation— much favors the possible interpersonal transmission.

International health authorities have also identified the variant involved as Andean hantavirus, one of the few variants in which human-to-human transmission has been documented. However, both the WHO and the ECDC agree that this type of transmission remains extremely rare and requires very close and prolonged contact, generally with symptomatic individuals.

Source: 

Link: https://www.sanidad.gob.es/gabinete/notasPrensa.do?id=6901

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#Spain will welcome the MV #Hondius vessel to the Canary Islands in compliance with International Law and the humanitarian spirit (Min. Health, May 5 '26)

 

The World Health Organization (WHO), in coordination with the European Union, has just requested that the Spanish government accept the MV Hondius in the Canary Islands in accordance with international law and humanitarian principles.

The vessel is currently in Cape Verde, where it has docked after detecting an outbreak of hantavirus infection.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is conducting a thorough examination of the ship to determine which individuals require urgent evacuation from Cape Verde. 

The remaining passengers will continue on to the Canary Islands, where they are expected to arrive within three to four days. 

The specific port has not yet been determined. Once there, the crew and passengers will be properly examined, treated, and transferred to their respective countries. 

The process will be managed according to a common protocol for case and contact tracing developed by the WHO and the ECDC, and will include all necessary safety measures. 

Both medical care and transfers will be carried out in special spaces and transports specifically set up for this situation, avoiding all contact with the local population and ensuring the safety of healthcare personnel at all times.

The Government will release the details of this protocol as soon as they are defined by the WHO and the ECDC. It will also provide timely updates on its implementation. 

The World Health Organization has explained that Cape Verde cannot carry out this operation. The Canary Islands are the closest location with the necessary capabilities. Spain has a moral and legal obligation to assist these people, among whom are several Spanish citizens. 

Following this same logic, and as part of the operation, the Government has also accepted a formal request from the Government of the Netherlands to receive the doctor from the MV Hondius, who is in serious condition and will be transported to the Canary Islands today on a hospital aircraft.

Source: 

Link: https://www.sanidad.gob.es/gabinete/notasPrensa.do?id=6900

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#Human spread of #hantavirus not ruled out on cruise #ship (UN News Centre, May 5 '26)

 

By Dominika Tomaszewska-Mortimer in Geneva

5 May 2026 

Hantavirus victims on a ship in the Atlantic Ocean may have been infected prior to joining the cruise and human-to-human transmission on board cannot be ruled out – although it is rare - the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.

The deadly disease outbreak has triggered an international public health response. 

Seven individuals of the 147 passengers and crew have been reported ill and three have died in what remains a fluid situation, WHO’s chief of Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention Dr Maria Van Kerkhove told reporters in Geneva.

“One patient is in intensive care in South Africa, although we understand that this patient is improving,” she said, while two patients still on board the ship, which is currently off the coast of Cabo Verde, are being prepared for medical evacuation to the Netherlands for treatment. 

Dr Van Kerkhove stressed that the situation is being closely monitored. As a precaution, passengers have been asked to remain in their cabins while disinfection and other public health measures are carried out. Medical teams from Cabo Verde are providing support on board the ship.

“The plan is, and our highest priority is, to medically evacuate these two individuals” to make sure that they receive the required care, she insisted. 

There are no other symptomatic patients on board. A third suspected case who reported a mild fever at one point “is currently doing well”, the WHO official said.

Spain cooperation

The ship is set to continue on to the Canary Islands. Ahead of arrival, Dr Van Kerkhove said that WHO is working with the Spanish authorities who “have said that they will welcome the ship to do a full epidemiologic investigation, full disinfection of the ship, and of course to assess the risk of the passengers”. 

Hantaviruses are carried by rodents and can cause severe disease in humans. Thousands of infections are estimated to occur each year. People usually get infected through contact with infected rodents or their urine, their droppings, or their saliva. 

Discussing the suspected origins of the outbreak, Dr Van Kerkhove said that the initial patients, a husband and wife, boarded the boat in Argentina. 

“With the timing of the incubation period of hantavirus, which can be anywhere from one to six weeks, our assumption is that they were infected off the ship,” she said. “This was an expedition boat… many of the people on board were doing bird watching” and “seeing a lot of different wildlife.”

The cruise stopped at several islands off the coast of Africa, Dr Van Kerkhove continued, some of which “have a lot of rodents”. 

“There could be some source of infection on the islands as well for some of the other suspect cases,” she said. “However, we do believe that there may be some human-to-human transmission that's happening among the really close contacts” such as the husband and wife and others who have shared cabins.

Past outbreak lessons

Transmission of infection between people is uncommon, but limited spread has been reported among close contacts in previous outbreaks of the Andes virus, which is part of the hantavirus group.

There are no specific treatments for hantavirus other than supportive care. 

“Typically, people will develop respiratory symptoms, so respiratory support is really important,” Dr Van Kerkhove said, stressing that some people require mechanical ventilation. Intensive care may be required, especially if the condition of patients deteriorates.

Directing her message at the people on the boat, where more than 20 nationalities are represented, the WHO official said: “We just want you to know we are working with the ship's operators” and with the travellers’ countries of origin.

“We hear you. We know that you are scared,” she said. “We're trying to make sure that the ship has as much information as they can…that you're cared for and of course, that you get home safely.”

Link: https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/05/1167440

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