WHO reports 13th hantavirus case linked to MV Hondius cruise ship outbreak; 3 deaths

A hantavirus outbreak linked to the luxury cruise ship MV Hondius has escalated to 13 confirmed cases, including 3 deaths, according to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on May 27, 2026. A newly identified case among quarantined passengers in Spain triggered the count increase. The outbreak has remained fatality-stable since May 2, with all remaining passengers, crew members, and medical staff completing disembarkation from the vessel over the preceding two weeks. Affected individuals are receiving medical care or remain under quarantine. The WHO notes hantaviruses are rodent-borne pathogens with global annual incidence of 10,000–100,000 cases, with severity dependent on strain.