WHO Says Likely Human-To-Human Hantavirus Spread On Cruise Ship As Spain Accepts Vessel
On Tuesday, May 5, 2026, the World Health Organization said it is investigating a suspected hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius off Cape Verde after three passengers died, according to a Fox News report.
WHO said at least four other people are ill, with two infections lab confirmed and five additional suspected. About 147 people were told to stay in their cabins while disinfection and other measures are carried out. WHO epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove said rare human-to-human transmission may have occurred among close cabin contacts such as couples.
The episode traces back to Argentina, where a spike in hantavirus infections in early 2026 raised concern about the Andes virus known for rare person-to-person spread. The MV Hondius left Ushuaia on April 1 for a 46-day cruise, and a Dutch couple on board fell ill around April 6 and later died, officials said. Additional illnesses among cabin mates prompted the ship to divert and anchor off Cape Verde, where WHO investigators and local authorities began quarantine measures.
Officials said there were no rats on board and they suspect the Dutch couple contracted the virus in Argentina before boarding. Oceanwide Expeditions said no new symptomatic individuals had been identified, and the vessel is expected to continue to the Canary Islands in coordination with Spanish authorities and WHO.
The hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius has sparked a range of perspectives online, with some experts emphasizing that while human-to-human transmission is rare, the evolving situation warrants close attention. Emergency medicine physician @cbarbermd notes the unusual nature of this potential transmission, while @IsizahSolomon reassures the public that the risk remains low, attributing the outbreak more likely to rodent exposure in Argentina. This aligns with data from the CDC indicating that the Andes hantavirus has a high case fatality rate of approximately 36%, underscoring the seriousness of the infections reported on the cruise ship.
Concerns about the safety of cruise travel have surfaced, with users like @USAF_Veteran57 warning about the implications of zoonotic diseases originating from rodent feces or urine. Meanwhile, @LBCNews highlights that Oceanwide Expeditions has reported no new symptomatic individuals, providing a glimmer of hope for containment. As the MV Hondius remains under quarantine off Cape Verde, the interplay between public health measures and travel safety continues to be a focal point of discussion among health professionals and the public alike.
Show source details & analysis (2 sources)
📊 Relevant Data
The MV Hondius cruise ship has a passenger capacity of 170 and is manned by approximately 70 crew members. ([Arctic ProCruises](https://www.arcticprocruises.com/seaventure/ship-details.html)) ([Arctic ProCruises](https://www.arcticprocruises.com/seaventure/ship-details.html)) ([Arctic ProCruises](https://www.arcticprocruises.com/seaventure/ship-details.html))
MV Hondius - Ship Details | Arctic ProCruises — Arctic ProCruises
The Andes hantavirus has a case fatality rate of approximately 36%. ([CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report](https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/wr/mm6741a7.htm)) ([CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report](https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/wr/mm6741a7.htm)) ([CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report](https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/wr/mm6741a7.htm))
Contact Tracing Investigation after First Case of Andes Virus in the United States — Michigan, 2018 — CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
In Argentina, 66 cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome were confirmed between epidemiological week 1 and week 47 of 2025. ([Pan American Health Organization](https://www.paho.org/sites/default/files/2025-12/2025-12-19-epidemiological-alert-hantavirus-engfinal_0.pdf)) ([Pan American Health Organization](https://www.paho.org/sites/default/files/2025-12/2025-12-19-epidemiological-alert-hantavirus-engfinal_0.pdf)) ([Pan American Health Organization](https://www.paho.org/sites/default/files/2025-12/2025-12-19-epidemiological-alert-hantavirus-engfinal_0.pdf))
Epidemiological Alert Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome in the Southern Cone — Pan American Health Organization
📌 Key Facts
- On Tuesday, May 5, 2026, WHO said it is investigating a suspected hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius off Cape Verde.
- Three passengers have died, at least four others are ill, with two infections lab confirmed and five additional suspected.
- WHO’s Maria Van Kerkhove said rare human-to-human transmission may have occurred among close cabin contacts such as couples.
- About 147 people on the ship have been asked to remain in their cabins while disinfection and other measures are carried out.
- Officials say there are no rats onboard and suspect a deceased Dutch couple was infected in Argentina before embarking.
- The ship is expected to sail on to the Canary Islands, in coordination with Spanish authorities and WHO.
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- On Tuesday, May 5, 2026, WHO epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove said the agency believes there was rare human-to-human transmission of hantavirus among close contacts on the MV Hondius, such as spouses and cabin-mates.
- The Spanish government said Tuesday, May 5, 2026, that it will allow the MV Hondius to sail to the Canary Islands for a full epidemiologic investigation and full disinfection.
- Spain's Ministry of Health said Spanish epidemiologists would board the ship on Tuesday afternoon to assess passengers' conditions, identify additional symptomatic individuals, and categorize high- and low-risk contacts to guide repatriation and routing decisions.
- WHO official Ann Lindstrand, speaking from Cape Verde on May 5, 2026, said there is no risk of a pandemic-level threat from this hantavirus event and confirmed that three patients would be medically evacuated to the Netherlands the same day.
- Lindstrand said the ship's passengers have been instructed to remain in their cabins as much as possible and that Spanish and Dutch authorities are debating next steps, including a potential quarantine lasting up to eight weeks, corresponding to the virus's one-to-eight-week incubation period.
- WHO and Spanish officials reiterated that three people have died in connection with the outbreak (two on board and one shortly after disembarking) and that there are four other suspected or confirmed cases, including a British national evacuated to intensive care in South Africa.