Two New Jersey Residents Monitored for Potential Andes Virus Exposure After MV Hondius Cruise Ship Contact

Two New Jersey residents are being monitored for potential exposure to Andes virus (ANDV) after contact with an infected individual during international travel. Neither resident shows symptoms. The exposure traces to the MV Hondius cruise ship, which experienced a deadly ANDV outbreak following departure from Argentina and is now bound for Spain's Canary Islands. Unlike hantaviruses endemic to the United States, Andes virus is capable of rare person-to-person transmission, typically requiring close, prolonged contact with infected individuals or their bodily fluids. With an incubation period of 4–42 days and asymptomatic individuals not considered infectious, state health officials report minimal public health risk in New Jersey, where no confirmed cases have ever been documented.