Hantavirus 2026

MV Hondius cruise ship hantavirus outbreak

Live tracker of the 2026 Andes virus (ANDV) hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius, an expedition cruise vessel in the South Atlantic. The cluster is the first documented human-to-human hantavirus transmission event in a cruise-ship setting. This page updates automatically as new cases and coverage land — see the methodology for sources and review process.

Confirmed on board
0
Suspected on board
0
Deceased on board
2

Timeline

  1. 2026-04-04

    MV Hondius departs port at the start of a South Atlantic expedition cruise. Itinerary includes Tristan da Cunha and St. Helena.

  2. 2026-04-28

    First passengers report flu-like symptoms aboard the vessel. Ship's medical staff begin isolation protocols.

  3. 2026-05-01

    Andes virus (ANDV) confirmed in initial case via shore-based laboratory testing. Vessel placed under quarantine at sea.

  4. 2026-05-05

    WHO confirms rare human-to-human transmission cluster aboard the cruise ship — three dead, seven cases identified.

  5. 2026-05-08

    British national disembarked to Tristan da Cunha develops suspected ANDV; UK MoD parachutes paramedics with medical supplies to the remote island.

  6. 2026-05-10

    Vessel docks in Tenerife (Canary Islands). Spanish health authorities begin evacuation under biosafety protocols; passengers from 23 nationalities face 6+ weeks of mandatory isolation.

What we know

  • The MV Hondius docked at multiple ports during a South Atlantic itinerary that included Tristan da Cunha and St. Helena, both of which had earlier ANDV case reports.
  • More than 20 nationalities are coordinating contact tracing and quarantine of returning passengers. American passengers are being routed to a Nebraska biocontainment facility.
  • ANDV is the only hantavirus known to transmit person-to-person, raising concerns about cluster spread among close-quarters cruise passengers.
  • Spanish health authorities used hazmat-suited personnel for disembarkation in Tenerife. WHO has noted that transmission appears limited to close contact with symptomatic individuals.

Affected countries

Click through for country-level case counts and coverage:

Coverage of the cruise outbreak

Frequently asked questions

What is the MV Hondius?
The MV Hondius is an expedition cruise vessel operated by Oceanwide Expeditions. The 2026 ANDV outbreak occurred during a South Atlantic itinerary that included stops at Tristan da Cunha and St. Helena.
How did Andes hantavirus get aboard a cruise ship?
The exact index case is still under investigation. ANDV is carried primarily by the long-tailed pygmy rice rat in South America; the leading hypothesis is rodent exposure at an embarkation point or shore excursion, followed by person-to-person transmission in close-quarters cruise conditions.
Is Andes hantavirus contagious between people?
Yes — ANDV is the only hantavirus strain known to transmit person-to-person. That makes the cruise-ship setting (shared dining, ventilation, and quarters) a high-risk environment for cluster spread, which is the central concern of this outbreak.
Which countries are affected by the MV Hondius outbreak?
Passengers and crew represent more than 20 nationalities. Confirmed and suspected cases or evacuations have been reported involving citizens of the United States, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Canada, South Africa, Singapore, France, Germany, Ireland, and Australia, among others.
What's the current status of the MV Hondius?
The vessel docked in Tenerife in May 2026. Passengers are being repatriated to their home countries under quarantine protocols (e.g., American passengers routed to a Nebraska biocontainment facility). This page updates automatically as new cases and coverage land.
Where can I read original reporting?
Every article on this page links to the original publication. We aggregate verified news sources and add AI-generated summaries; the source link is always preserved.