MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak

In April 2026, an outbreak of hantavirus infection caused by the Andes virus was identified on the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius. There are nine confirmed cases and two suspected cases directly linked to the outbreak as of 18 May. There have been three deaths, two of which have been confirmed as caused by the Andes virus, the last on 2 May. The original passengers have now all disembarked and been evacuated; many are quarantined in their home countries. The Andes virus is the only known hantavirus to spread between humans. It spreads through close, sustained contact between people, and it may be airborne. The WHO has emphasized that the risk of an epidemic is low, as previous outbreaks have only involved transmission in close-contact settings. The ship departed from Ushuaia, Argentina, on 1 April with plans to visit Antarctica and several islands in the South Atlantic. A passenger died on board on 11 April. His body was taken ashore in Saint Helena on 24 April, where 30 passengers disembarked, including his wife, who died two days later in a Johannesburg hospital. Another passenger died on board on 28 April. A British passenger was sent to Johannesburg on 2 May for treatment in critical but still stable condition. Although the ship was docked at Praia, Cape Verde, for three days, no one disembarked, as local facilities were unable to handle a safe evacuation. After receiving approval from Spanish health authorities, the ship departed for Tenerife, Canary Islands, on 6 May with additional medical resources and 147 individuals on board, arriving on 10 May. Passengers disembarked and evacuation flights repatriated passengers to six European countries and Canada. As of 15 May 2026, former passengers are hospitalized or quarantined in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Saint Helena, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United States. On 18 May, MV Hondius arrived in Rotterdam where everyone was retested and then disembarked. The two Dutch medical officers returned home for self-quarantine. The 23 crew from four countries entered quarantine in Rotterdam. The body of a deceased passenger was removed for cremation, and the vessel began disinfection in preparation for returning to service.