Health Authorities Monitor Passengers After Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship
Health officials are tracking passengers who disembarked from a cruise ship following a hantavirus outbreak that resulted in three deaths.
Health authorities across multiple continents are monitoring passengers who disembarked from the MV Hondius cruise ship following a hantavirus outbreak that has resulted in three deaths. The ship, which departed from Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1, 2026, carried 147 individuals from 23 countries.
The first fatality occurred on April 11, when a Dutch male passenger died on board. His wife disembarked at Saint Helena on April 24 and subsequently died in South Africa on April 26. A third passenger, a German national, died on May 2.
On April 24, approximately 30 passengers from at least 12 countries left the ship at Saint Helena without undergoing contact tracing. Health officials are now working to locate and monitor these individuals to prevent further spread of the virus.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed that at least five individuals on the ship were infected with the Andes virus, a strain of hantavirus known for its potential human-to-human transmission. Despite this, the WHO assesses the risk to the general public as low.
Investigations into the outbreak's origin are focusing on Argentina, particularly the town of Ushuaia, where the Dutch couple had traveled before boarding the ship. The area is known for the presence of rodents carrying the Andes virus.
The MV Hondius is currently en route to Spain's Canary Islands, with over 140 passengers and crew members still on board. Health authorities are coordinating efforts to manage the situation and prevent further transmission.
