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Full cruise ship investigation →In late April 2026, an Andes virus cluster was identified among passengers and crew of the MV Hondius, a cruise ship operating in the South Atlantic. This is the first documented hantavirus outbreak aboard a vessel and the largest known cluster of person-to-person Andes virus transmission.
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CDC issued a Health Alert Network notice regarding the multi-country Andes virus cluster linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship. As of May 8, WHO reported eight cases including three deaths. Risk to the American public remains extremely low.
Read full statement ↗This is the third Disease Outbreak News report on the hantavirus cluster, following the notification to the World Health Organization (WHO) on 2 May 2026 of severe respiratory illness cases aboard MV Hondius, a cruise ship. Since the last DON was published on 8 May, two additional confirmed cases were reported from France and Spain. In addition, there is one inconclusive result for a case in the U
Read full statement ↗On 2 May 2026, a cluster of passengers with severe respiratory illness aboard a cruise ship was reported to the World Health Organization (WHO). At that time, according to the ship operator, 147 passengers and crew were onboard, and 34 passengers and crew had previously disembarked. Since the last Disease Outbreak News published on 4 May, three of the suspected cases were confirmed, and one additi
Read full statement ↗On 2 May 2026, a cluster of passengers with severe respiratory illness aboard a cruise ship was reported to the World Health Organization. The ship is carrying 147 passengers and crew. As of 4 May 2026, seven cases (two laboratory confirmed cases of hantavirus and five suspected cases) have been identified, including three deaths, one critically ill patient and three individuals reporting mild sym
Read full statement ↗CDC Health Alert Network notice. Risk to the American public remains extremely low. 41 people in the US being monitored.
Read full statement ↗Third WHO Disease Outbreak News report. Two additional confirmed cases from France and Spain since the previous report.
Read full statement ↗Second WHO report. Andes virus confirmed as the causative strain. Eight cases including three deaths.
Read full statement ↗Initial WHO notification of severe respiratory illness cases aboard MV Hondius.
Read full statement ↗Andes virus is the only hantavirus with documented person-to-person transmission. All other hantavirus strains — including Sin Nombre virus (the most common in the US) — require direct contact with infected rodent excreta and cannot spread between humans.
The MV Hondius cluster is the first known hantavirus outbreak aboard a vessel and the largest documented cluster of person-to-person Andes virus transmission. WHO has confirmed transmission occurred through close contact between passengers and crew, not through rodent exposure.
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