Hantavirus outbreak linked to cruise ship travel, Multi-locations
- Countries / areas
- Multi-locations
- First notice
- 2026-05-28
- Latest notice
- 2026-07-02
- Notices
- 2
Official summary (original text)
This is the fifth Disease Outbreak News posting on the Andes hantavirus (ANDV) outbreak linked to the cruise ship M/V Hondius. The outbreak identification followed the notification to the World Health Organization (WHO) on 2 May 2026 of severe acute respiratory illness cases onboard. Since the previous Disease Outbreak News was published on 28 May 2026, one of the probable cases from Tristan da Cunha, an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (hereafter referred to as the United Kingdom), was laboratory confirmed.
As of 2 July, a total of 13 cases, including three deaths, have been notified (case fatality ratio 23%). Twelve cases have been laboratory-confirmed for ANDV infection, and one is a probable case. All confirmed cases are among individuals who travelled onboard the M/V Hondius. Among the ten cases admitted to hospitals, eight have recovered and have been discharged, while two are still undergoing medical treatment.
All identified contacts have completed the 42 day follow-up period by local health authorities in line with WHO guidance. The completion of the contact follow up without detection of additional secondary cases demonstrates effective interruption of transmission and confirms outbreak containment.
This outbreak no longer poses a public health risk and no further related transmission is expected.
WHO risk assessment (original text)
The ANDV outbreak associated with the MV Hondius cruise ship no longer poses a public health risk and no further related transmission is expected. ANDV remains endemic in South America, and it is associated with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome with substantial case fatality, its transmissibility remains limited, typically requiring close and prolonged exposure, and tends to result in temporally and spatially restricted clusters.
While the confined maritime environment of this event likely facilitated transmission during the voyage, epidemiological and genomic evidence supports a point source outbreak, originating either from contact with an infected animal or infected person, followed by limited chains of human-to-human secondary transmission, without evidence of sustained transmission.
The completion of the 42-day follow-up period for all identified contacts without further detection of additional secondary cases demonstrates effective interruption of transmission and confirms outbreak containment. Additionally, IPC measures continue to be applied for the management of the two cases still hospitalized.
Notice history
- · 2026-DON611
Hantavirus outbreak linked to cruise ship travel, Multi-locations
Official summary (original text)
This is the fifth Disease Outbreak News posting on the Andes hantavirus (ANDV) outbreak linked to the cruise ship M/V Hondius. The outbreak identification followed the notification to the World Health Organization (WHO) on 2 May 2026 of severe acute respiratory illness cases onboard. Since the previous Disease Outbreak News was published on 28 May 2026, one of the probable cases from Tristan da Cunha, an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (hereafter referred to as the United Kingdom), was laboratory confirmed.
As of 2 July, a total of 13 cases, including three deaths, have been notified (case fatality ratio 23%). Twelve cases have been laboratory-confirmed for ANDV infection, and one is a probable case. All confirmed cases are among individuals who travelled onboard the M/V Hondius. Among the ten cases admitted to hospitals, eight have recovered and have been discharged, while two are still undergoing medical treatment.
All identified contacts have completed the 42 day follow-up period by local health authorities in line with WHO guidance. The completion of the contact follow up without detection of additional secondary cases demonstrates effective interruption of transmission and confirms outbreak containment.
This outbreak no longer poses a public health risk and no further related transmission is expected.
- · 2026-DON604
Hantavirus outbreak linked to cruise ship travel, Multi-locations
Official summary (original text)
This is the fourth Disease Outbreak News report on the Andes hantavirus outbreak linked to cruise ship travel, following the notification to the World Health Organization (WHO) on 2 May 2026 of severe respiratory illness cases aboard M/V Hondius, a cruise ship. Since the last DON was published on 13 May, three additional confirmed cases were reported, from Canada, the Netherlands, and Spain. The previously reported inconclusive case from the United States of America was subsequently determined to be negative following further laboratory testing and has been removed from the total case count. All cases to date have been passengers or crew members on the ship. As of 27 May, a total of 13 cases, including three deaths, have been reported (case fatality ratio 23%). Eleven cases have been laboratory-confirmed for Andes virus (ANDV) infection, and two are probable cases. Given the long incubation period of up to six weeks, it is not unexpected that cases continue to be reported until the end of the six weeks since last exposure.
Through the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) channels, National IHR Focal Points (NFPs) have all been informed and are supporting international contact tracing and monitoring efforts. WHO has assessed the risk posed by this event to the global population as low and will continue to monitor the epidemiological situation and update the risk assessment as needed.
