Hantavirus Tracker

An international response is unfolding after an Andes-virus cluster tied to the MV Hondius — linked to three deaths and five other infections — prompted global contact-tracing as passengers dispersed internationally; investigators are prioritizing locating disembarked passengers, genomic sequencing and exposure tracing aboard the ship.

Manitoba officials, by contrast, stress that local risk remains low, note their Sin Nombre strain differs from the cruise’s Andes virus and is not known to spread person-to-person, and emphasize rodent-proofing and safe cleanup measures; watch sequencing results, contact-tracing outcomes and any new case reports.

Tracking: hantavirus

Geography: United States (notably Four Corners and rural western states), Argentina, Chile (Andes region), Bolivia, Peru, Brazil, China, South Korea, Scandinavia (Sweden, Finland), Central/Western Europe

1. Manitoba says hantavirus risk remains low; local strain differs from cruise outbreak

Manitoba health officials say the risk of hantavirus in the province remains low and report no reported Sin Nombre virus cases in Manitoba since 2016.

They emphasized the Sin Nombre strain present in Manitoba is different from the Andes virus linked to the Dutch-flagged cruise ship outbreak in early May, and no cases or contacts associated with that Andes outbreak have been identified in the province.

Officials reiterated that Sin Nombre spreads primarily through inhalation of airborne particles when dried rodent droppings, urine or saliva are disturbed and is not known to spread person-to-person, while the Andes virus—found in Argentina and Chile—can rarely transmit between people.

Manitoba Health advised preventing rodent infestations and taking precautions when cleaning rodent-contaminated environments, and published guidance for rodent-proofing and safe cleanup.

Key facts:

- No reported Sin Nombre cases in Manitoba since 2016.

- Andes virus linked to Dutch-flagged cruise ship outbreak in early May.

- Passengers on the cruise were exposed to Andes strain found in Argentina and Chile.

- Sin Nombre transmits mainly via inhalation of aerosolized rodent droppings, urine, or saliva.

- Andes virus can rarely spread between people; no Manitoba rodents carry Andes.

Why it matters: Clear strain separation lets provincial public health target routine rodent-control and cleaning guidance locally while treating the cruise-linked Andes event as an imported risk.

Watch for any identification of Andes-linked cases or contacts in Manitoba, because person-to-person spread changes contact-tracing and infection-control priorities.

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2. Hantavirus cluster tied to MV Hondius cruise prompts global contact-tracing

A cluster of hantavirus infections linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius has prompted an international contact-tracing effort after a passenger died aboard; passengers disembarked in St. Helena nearly two weeks later and many flew to Johannesburg and other destinations.

South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases acting deputy director Jacqueline Weyer said a patient medically evacuated to Johannesburg in late April initially tested negative for Covid-19, influenza and Legionnaires' disease, and that she repeated laboratory analyses before confirming hantavirus.

Authorities suspect the rare Andes strain; reporting to date cites three deaths and five other infections.

The dispersal of passengers across international destinations has generated a global scramble to locate contacts and contain further spread, with investigators having considered avian influenza in early work.

Public-health officials emphasize contact tracing, exposure-source investigations aboard the ship, and genomic sequencing to determine the virus’s origin and transmission dynamics.

Next steps are locating disembarked passengers, completing sequencing, and monitoring for additional cases.

Key facts:

- MV Hondius cruise ship linked to hantavirus cluster

- One passenger died aboard the MV Hondius

- 20 to 30 people disembarked in St. Helena

- A patient was medically evacuated to Johannesburg in late April

- Initial tests were negative for Covid-19, influenza, Legionnaires' disease

Why it matters: Passengers dispersed internationally, complicating containment and increasing the burden on contact tracers and public-health labs; rapid sequencing and locating disembarked passengers will determine whether spillover was limited or more transmission occurred.

Watch for completed genomic sequencing, additional confirmed cases, and contact-tracing outcomes to guide containment and risk communication.

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