WHO declares hantavirus outbreak on cruise ship concluded after final quarantine

The World Health Organization said on Thursday that the hantavirus outbreak associated with the MV Hondius cruise ship has ended. The declaration came after the final person identified as exposed completed a 42-day quarantine and tested negative, returning home.

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reported that no new cases have been recorded since May 25. The outbreak involved 13 cases – 12 confirmed and one probable – and three deaths, at least two of which were confirmed, all among passengers or crew members.

More than 650 contacts in 33 countries and territories were monitored, according to the agency. > "Although the outbreak is over, WHO will continue working with governments and partners to advance our understanding of this outbreak and of hantavirus more generally," Dr. Tedros said. > "We are also coordinating a study involving 21 countries to understand how the disease develops, which will support the development of diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines for future outbreaks."

The WHO had been notified on May 2 of a cluster of severe acute respiratory illness on the ship, which included two deaths and one critically ill passenger. The working hypothesis is that the initial case contracted hantavirus on land before boarding the vessel.