Hantavirus Tracker
PublicTracking news around the emerging Hantavirus
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Tracking the Hantavirus
This newsletter tracks the latest news on the hantavirus.
Cruise ship hantavirus cluster: 11 infected, 3 dead
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
An international cluster of Andes hantavirus tied to the expedition cruise MV Hondius—11 cases and three deaths—has prompted cross‑border evacuations, multiple hospital quarantines and coordinated WHO/PAHO response.
While agencies assess overall risk to the general population as low, tensions center on differing lab‑confirmation counts, the virus’s potential for rare person‑to‑person spread and a long incubation window; watch pending confirmatory test results, patient outcomes, and the effectiveness of large quarantine and contact‑tracing operations (including 18 Americans quarantined and a presumptive Canadian case).
Tracking: hantavirus
Geography: United States, Southwest United States (Four Corners region: New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Utah), Mexico, Canada, Central America, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Brazil, China, South Korea, Japan, Russia, Scandinavia (Sweden, Finland, Norway), Germany, global (where outbreaks or surveillance reported)
1. Hantavirus outbreak aboard MV Hondius infects 11, kills three
Health agencies report 11 hantavirus cases tied to the cruise ship MV Hondius, including three deaths; the World Health Organization said nine of the 11 cases are confirmed as Andes virus.
Evacuees are distributed across European hospitals: a Spanish passenger is quarantined at a Madrid military hospital alongside 13 other Spanish nationals, a French evacuee remains in intensive care in Paris, Radboud University Medical Center quarantined 12 staff after mishandling fluids, and the ship has sailed back to the Netherlands for cleaning and disinfection.
U.S. authorities are assessing 18 passengers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center; the CDC issued quarantine orders for two patients there.
Sources differ on laboratory confirmation counts (one source reports nine Andes confirmations; another reports eight lab-confirmed cases).
Experts caution Andes can rarely transmit between people and note the long incubation period could reveal more cases, while zoonotic spillover risks draw renewed surveillance attention.
Key facts:
- 11 hantavirus cases linked to MV Hondius, including three deaths
- WHO reported nine of 11 cases confirmed as Andes virus
- One report stated eight cases were laboratory-confirmed (disagreement)
- Spanish patient quarantined at Madrid military hospital
- 13 other Spanish evacuees housed with that patient
Why it matters: The outbreak tests cross-border public health coordination and hospital biosafety: quarantines in Spain, the Netherlands and the U.S. increase clinical burden and strain contact-tracing resources.
If Andes transmission between people is confirmed beyond rare instances, protocols for healthcare handling, quarantine justification, and cruise-industry sanitation will tighten; watch lab-confirmation updates, additional cases during the incubation period, and national reporting harmonization.
2. Multi‑country hantavirus cluster linked to expedition cruise ship reported
WHO convened a webinar on 20 May 2026 after notification in May 2026 of a multi‑country cluster of hantavirus infections tied to an expedition cruise ship.
As of 13 May, 11 cases, including three deaths, were reported and associated with Andes virus, a strain capable of limited human‑to‑human transmission through close contact.
WHO said it is coordinating the international response under the International Health Regulations (2005), offering information sharing, contact tracing support, and ongoing risk assessment.
The agency assesses overall risk to the general population as low, and the webinar will share technical perspectives, country experience, and behavioral insights from listed experts.
Key facts:
- As of 13 May 2026, 11 cases reported, including three deaths.
- Cluster linked to an expedition cruise ship.
- Cases associated with Andes virus strain.
- Andes virus capable of limited human-to-human transmission.
- WHO convened webinar on 20 May 2026, 13:00–14:00 CEST.
Why it matters: The event highlights the operational need for rapid international coordination, surveillance, and contact tracing because Andes virus can transmit between people.
Watch for additional case counts, contact‑tracing outcomes, and any WHO risk reassessments; clear risk communication and country engagement will shape public health actions and community response.
3. PAHO issues alert as hantavirus cases rise in Americas, cruise ship cluster reported
PAHO issued an epidemiological alert after rising hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) cases across the Americas, with Argentina reporting 134 confirmed HPS cases in 2024 and Chile 62.
The Andes virus remains the main cause in South America and is notable for documented person-to-person transmission, while PAHO links higher transmission to late spring and summer outdoor activity overlaps with rodent habitats; PAHO urges strengthened surveillance, laboratory diagnostics, and public awareness in endemic areas.
A separate outbreak aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius has become a global coordination challenge: 11 confirmed cases—including three deaths—and 147 passengers and crew under monitoring, with WHO identifying nine cases as the Andes virus.
Evacuated passengers were escorted home from Tenerife under strict decontamination and protective measures; health authorities should prioritize rapid testing, contact tracing, and cross-border communication.
Key facts:
- PAHO issued an epidemiological alert on rising hantavirus cases in the Americas.
- Argentina reported 134 confirmed HPS cases in 2024.
- Chile documented 62 HPS cases in 2024.
- Andes virus is the primary cause in South America and can spread person-to-person.
- MV Hondius cluster: 11 confirmed cases, including three deaths.
Why it matters: Andes virus’s documented person-to-person transmission raises risk for local chains of spread and increases need for rapid detection, contact tracing, and cross-border coordination.
The MV Hondius cluster highlights global coordination and testing challenges; watch seasonal late-spring/summer increases, laboratory capacity, and public messaging in endemic regions.
4. B.C. confirms Canada's first Andes hantavirus case
British Columbia health officials confirmed on May 16 that one person quarantining in Victoria has a presumptive positive for the Andes strain of hantavirus.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said the case was identified among four people who arrived from the MV Hondius and were under quarantine. The individual is one of two Yukon residents quarantining together; both are over 70.
The symptomatic person developed mild fever and headache two days earlier, was assessed at a tertiary care hospital, and tested presumptively positive at the BCCDC; samples were sent to the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg for confirmatory testing.
The patient’s partner and another quarantined person are hospitalized but asymptomatic, and officials said infection control protocols were followed throughout the event.
Key facts:
- Presumptive Andes hantavirus case confirmed in B.C.
- Announcement made May 16 by Dr. Bonnie Henry
- Case identified among four quarantined arrivals from MV Hondius
- Patient is one of two Yukon residents quarantining together
- Both Yukon residents are over 70 years old
Why it matters: This is Canada’s first identified Andes hantavirus case, highlighting the risk of travel-associated importation and the importance of quarantine and port-of-entry screening.
Confirmatory laboratory results and symptom monitoring among the quarantined group will determine downstream public-health actions and messaging.
Hospitals and public-health agencies benefit from validated protocols and need to maintain strict infection control and clear communication; travelers and the cruise sector face heightened scrutiny while investigations and lab confirmation remain pending.
5. CDC Reports 883 Cumulative HPS Cases Since 1993
The CDC updated hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) surveillance, reporting 883 cumulative U.S. cases since 1993 across 36 states.
The first recognized cases occurred in the Four Corners region in 1993, and Sin Nombre virus remains the primary North American cause; most cases occur in rural western states, with New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona and California reporting the highest numbers.
The reported case fatality rate is approximately 36 percent and no specific treatment or vaccine exists, so prevention is emphasized as the most critical intervention.
The CDC says early recognition of symptoms and prompt supportive care in intensive care settings can improve outcomes, and it recommends sealing holes in homes, using traps to reduce rodent populations, and safely cleaning rodent droppings with proper respiratory protection.
Key facts:
- 883 cumulative HPS cases in United States since 1993
- Cases reported across 36 U.S. states
- Sin Nombre virus is primary North American HPS cause
- Highest case counts: New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, California
- Reported case fatality rate approximately 36%
Why it matters: With a high reported fatality rate and no antiviral or vaccine, the burden falls on prevention, public education, and clinical readiness.
Rural residents and homeowners in western states are primary beneficiaries of targeted rodent-control and cleaning guidance, while hospitals and intensive care units must remain prepared to provide supportive care that improves survival.
6. 18 Americans quarantined after Andes hantavirus exposures on MV Hondius
Eighteen Americans are under mandatory quarantine after exposure to the Andes hantavirus aboard the MV Hondius, where several passengers were infected or killed.
One quarantined passenger, Boston-based travel content creator Jake Rosmarin, told Scientific American on May 15 he is about a week into isolation at the National Quarantine Unit in Omaha, Nebraska, and that the mandatory period could extend up to 42 days.
Rosmarin described the facility as airtight and said he cannot open a window, calling the experience far more restrictive than COVID-era stay-at-home guidance.
The cruise visited remote South Atlantic islands before the outbreak, and Rosmarin has been posting updates from isolation on social media.
The prolonged, airtight confinement and limited contact underline operational and psychological burdens for passengers and staff and will keep public attention focused on testing results, patient outcomes, and the course of the quarantine.
Key facts:
- 18 Americans monitored for possible hantavirus exposure
- Exposures occurred on MV Hondius cruise ship
- Several passengers were infected or killed by Andes virus
- Quarantine at National Quarantine Unit, Omaha, Nebraska
- Mandatory quarantine could last up to 42 days
Why it matters: Extended, airtight quarantines impose substantial logistical and mental-health burdens on passengers and quarantine staff, increasing demands for sustained facility capacity and support.
Public-facing posts from quarantined passengers raise transparency but can amplify concern; watch for official testing outcomes, patient statuses, and any adjustments to quarantine or monitoring protocols.