Hantavirus outbreak aboard ship MV Hondius; virus present in Argentina

[Astronuc]

Several days ago, an outbreak of Hantavirus was reported aboard cruise ship MV Hondius, which apparently set sail from Argentina.

PRAIA, Cape Verde (AP) — Footage obtained by The Associated Press of a cruise ship at the center of a rare-virus outbreak shows deserted decks and gathering areas, medical teams in protective gear, and a still landscape ahead as the vessel and its nearly 150 passengers and crew waited another day off the coast of West Africa.

Three passengers have died and at least four people have been sick in what health officials say is an outbreak of hantavirus, which usually spreads by inhaling contaminated rodent droppings. The World Health Organization said passengers are isolating in their cabins.

Ref: https://apnews.com/article/hantavir...dius-footage-c6b3db5ab10fefbd9ece0b036e47188b


Hantavirus is on the rise in Argentina, where a stricken cruise ship began its journey
https://apnews.com/article/argentina-hantavirus-cruise-ship-5841c25be9aa6dd3cd6edc81c74609de

Hantavirus cases now suspected in 5 countries as authorities scramble to contain outbreak
https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/07/world/hantavirus-ship-tenerife-outbreak-intl

Three people – a Dutch couple and a German national – have died since the vessel departed Argentina last month.


The outbreak has been linked to the Andes strain of hantavirus, a rare but potentially severe virus that in some cases can spread between humans through close contact.

What doctors know about how the Andes hantavirus spreads
https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/06/health/andes-strain-hantavirus-explained

In 2018, health authorities in southern Argentina were racing, trying to understand what had caused nearly three dozen people in the tiny village of Epuyen to fall gravely ill. By the end of the outbreak, 11 of them had died.

Their illness, which caused many to be admitted to intensive care for pneumonia and severe breathing problems, was caused by the Andes virus, a strain of rodent-carried hantavirus capable of being transmitted from person to person. It is the same virus that’s believed to have sickened eight passengers traveling on the MV Hondius cruise ship, which is sailing to a port in the Canary Islands.

Before the Epuyen outbreak, very little was known about the Andes strain, said Dr. Gustavo Palacios, a microbiologist at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York.

I don't know if this is the same virus, but it is a Hantavirus.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andes_virus

The virus has been present for some time.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7101103/

Pathogenic hantaviruses are members of the family Hantaviridae and genus Orthohantavirus. These viruses are responsible for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in the Americas. In Argentina, HPS was first described in 1995 during an outbreak in the Andean region of Patagonia, leading to the characterization of Andes virus (ANDV) (1). Since then, >1,200 cases have been confirmed in Argentina (2,3).

Hantaviruses are enveloped, single-stranded, RNA viruses with tripartite negative sense genomes. The small (S, 1.8–2.1 kb) segment encodes a nucleocapsid protein, the medium (M, 3.6–3.8 kb) a glycoprotein precursor, and the large (L, 6.5–6.7 kb) an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (4).

Ostensibly, there may be cases in neighboring Chile.

Edit/update:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/ente...ckman-wife-death-cruise-outbreak/89974116007/

Hantavirus, the rodent-borne virus at the center of an outbreak on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean, is the same infection that killed Betsy Arakawa, the wife of late actor Gene Hackman.

Hackman and Arakawa were both found dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home in February 2025. Hackman, 95, died from natural causes, but had heart disease and complications caused by Alzheimer's disease. Arakawa, 65, died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

More than a year later, the virus that killed Arakawa is back in the spotlight after three people who traveled on board the MV Hondius cruise ship have died from it. A total of eight cases, including five confirmed and three suspected, have been tied to the cruise ship outbreak, according to the World Health Organization.

There have been isolated cases of hantavirus exposure in the US. I believe the cases were found in Arizona and/or New Mexico, and apparently California.

Epidemiologic and Environmental Investigations of Reported Hantavirus Cases Inform Exposure Risk in California, 1993–2020​

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12676593/

https://monohealth.com/environmental-health/page/hantavirus-0

California is monitoring 3 people who may have been exposed on the cruise.

 

[DaveE]

 

[Astronuc]

I had not heard of Sin Nombre virus. The Spanish term "sin nombre" translates to English "without name".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sin_Nombre_virus

The genome of SNV is about 12.3 kilobases (kb) in length and segmented into three negative-sense, single-stranded RNA (-ssRNA) strands. The small strand encodes the viral nucleoprotein, the medium strand encodes the viral spike protein, which attaches to cell receptors for entry into cells, and the long strand encodes the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), which replicates and transcribes the genome. Genome segments are encased in nucleoproteins to form ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes that are surrounded by a viral envelope that contains spikes emanating from its surface

It is an orthohantavirus, Orthohantavirus sinnombreense (12.3 kilobases), which appears to be different from the Andes Hantavirus, Orthohantavirus andesense (12.1 kilobases), but both having three negative-sense, single-stranded RNA strands, and ostensibly replicating by the same method.

So the currrent hantavirus of concern, the Andes hantavirus, is not necessarily the same as the hantavirus the resulted in the death of Betsy Arakawa, although she reportedly had Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome.

Twenty-nine (29) people left the cruise ship MV Hondius from St Helena on April 2026. Some were US citizens who returned to states of Virginia, Georgia, Texas, Arizona and California. Apparently, they are being monitored for symptoms.

More than two dozen passengers from 12 countries disembarked from the cruise ship on April 24 in St. Helena, a British territory. That included six Americans, according to the cruise ship’s operator, Oceanwide Expeditions. Some of those passengers are now in Arizona, California, Georgia and Virginia, according to authorities in those states.

Seventeen American passengers remained on the cruise ship as of Monday [4 May 2026].

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/heal...parture-hinder-hantavirus-response-rcna344031

Reported Cases of Hantavirus Disease
https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/data-research/cases/index.html

As of the end of 2023, 890 cases of hantavirus disease were reported in the US since surveillance began in 1993.

Some infections have been reported since the beginning of 2024.

The genome of ANDV is about 12.1 kilobases (kb) in length and segmented into three negative-sense, single-stranded RNA (-ssRNA) strands. The small strand encodes the viral nucleoprotein, the medium strand encodes the viral spike protein, which attaches to cell receptors for entry into cells, and the long strand encodes the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), which replicates and transcribes the genome. Genome segments are encased in nucleoproteins to form ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes that are surrounded by a viral envelope that contains spikes emanating from its surface.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andes_virus

There does appear to be several variants in Chile.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andes_virus#Strains

Edit/Update:

NEW JERSEY (WABC) -- Two New Jersey residents are being monitored after they were potentially exposed to a person infected with hantavirus after the person departed the MV Hondius cruise ship.

The two people were not passengers on the cruise ship and officials say the potential exposure happened during air travel abroad.

https://abc7ny.com/post/hantavirus-...idents-following-potential-exposure/19064583/

The incubation period ranges from four to 42 days and asymptomatic persons are not considered infectious.

https://6abc.com/post/2-new-jersey-...us-connected-cruise-ship-mv-hondius/19064581/

In addition to US, folks who left St Helena tarveled to Canada, New Zealand, UK, Turkey, Germany, Sweden, Indonesia and possibly Denmark. The Spanish government is establishing a repatriation process for the remaining passengers, including 17 Americans who continued the voyage from St Helena to the Canary Islands.

 

[sbrothy]

Hantavirus causing hermorrhagic fever sounds almost like Ebola, but unlike Ebola which transmits through body fluids

Hantaviruses are transmitted mainly through aerosols and droplets that contain rodent excretions, as well as through contaminated food, bites, and scratches. Environmental factors such as rainfall, temperature, and humidity influence transmission.

---- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthohantavirus

Sorry for the Wiki-link, I don't think (or rather hope) that's there's a larger epidemic on it way.

Who do you think had their rabbits with them on the cruise?

 

[Zaciekawiony]

It should be clear noted that viruses from the hantavirus group have low human-to-human contagion. Just a few years ago, a medical review of the Andes virus deemed reports by doctors in Argentina of human-to-human transmission unreliable. Therefore, the most likely scenario for this ship passengers is that all those infected had contact with mice and their droppings on land before setting sail. This is more similar to food poisoning – those who ate contaminated food become ill, and no one else will contract it.
Hantaviruses are also present in Europe. Strains such as Puumala and Saaremaa are usually asymptomatic and are detected incidentally, causing illness very rarely. The most dangerous is the Dobrava-Belgrade hantavirus, which occurs in the Balkans and accounts 10-20 cases annually with a mortality rate of 10%. Despite its long presence on the continent, it hasn't caused an epidemic because it is difficult to transmit.

 

[sbrothy]

Exactly my (rather convoluted) point. How many droplets containing rodent excretions would one expect to find on a cruise ship. Hence my comment on who brought their rabbit.

 

[pinball1970]

There is a discussion on line between a science communicator and Marion Koopmans.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marion_Koopmans

Conversation begins at 1.59

 

[BillTre]

How many droplets containing rodent excretions would one expect to find on a cruise ship.

It is my understanding that people get infected by hantavirus in the US southwest because it is inhaled with dust from that dry environment, not water droplets.

 

[DaveE]

How many droplets containing rodent excretions would one expect to find on a cruise ship.

Enough. If they are desiccated and distributed in the HVAC system. But there's little point in speculation. There are several good possibilities that experts can probably sort out. But that will take time, which apparently isn't sufficient in the SM/News environment today.

What needs to happen right now is tracking of those exposed and sample collection for analysis later. The answers lie mostly in the genomic analysis of the viruses.

 

[sbrothy]

Enough. If they are desiccated and distributed in the HVAC system. But there's little point in speculation. There are several good possibilities that experts can probably sort out. But that will take time, which apparently isn't sufficient in the SM/News environment today.

What needs to happen right now is tracking of those exposed and sample collection for analysis later. The answers lie mostly in the genomic analysis of the viruses.

Ah yeah, I hadn't thought of that I admit. In that case not much is needed.

 

[kyphysics]

This is traumatizing having gone through COVID just 6 years ago. Hoping national health authorities take it seriously so that it doesn’t morph into another global or national pandemic. The Andes version of hantavirus is the only one that’s seemingly got potential for person-to-person spread. 30-40% mortality is scary! COVID was just around 1%.

 

[sbrothy]

I've been inocoulated 3 times. Different vaccines every time (or at least 2 of them was the new RNA type.).

Still I managed to contract SARS-COV-2 3 times. The symptoms was like a mild flu though. I wonder what it would have been like without the inoculations, especially as I have COPD.

"People" might look at a vaccine synthesis and see stuff like "mercury", "aluminium", and "palladium" and other poisonous stuff. If they have no idea of how chemistry works and what a catalyst is, I can easily understand that they think these compunds are in the final product but as most of knows that's not how chemistry works.

 

[Astronuc]

French woman taken to Paris in serious condition while American flown to Nebraska is asymptomatic, say officials

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...-ship-passengers-test-positive-for-hantavirus

One of repatriated French passengers from hantavirus-hit ship has symptoms, PM says
https://www.reuters.com/world/europ...rus-hit-ship-has-symptoms-pm-says-2026-05-10/

3 passengers, French and American, test positive or have symptoms of hantavirus after evacuation
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/hantavirus-cruise-ship-evacuation-9.7194723

Dutch couple believed to be first cases​

Oceanwide Expeditions said a 70-year-old Dutch man died aboard the ship on April 11. He developed symptoms less than a week earlier, on April 6, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Thursday.

Because his symptoms were similar to those of other respiratory diseases, hantavirus was not suspected at the time of his death, and no samples were taken, Tedros said. However, he is now believed to be the first hantavirus case on the ship.

The man's 69-year-old wife left the cruise ship on April 24 when it docked in Saint Helena, a remote British island territory in the Atlantic Ocean where a number of other passengers also disembarked. She died two days later in South Africa, after her condition "deteriorated during a flight to Johannesburg," the WHO said. Her blood later tested positive for the Andes strain of hantavirus.

Before boarding the cruise ship on April 1, the Dutch couple had taken a bird-watching trip through Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, visiting sites where the species of rat known to carry the Andes virus was present, according to the WHO.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hantavirus-cases-deadly-cruise-ship-outbreak/

One American on a repatriation flight "tested mildly PCR positive for the Andes virus," and another began showing symptoms of hantavirus, the Department of Health and Human Services said on May 10.
. . .
France's prime minister said on May 10 that a citizen of that country began showing symptoms during a repatriation flight. The country's health minister later told France Inter radio the woman tested positive for hantavirus and her condition had deteriorated.

On April 24, an adult man from the United Kingdom presented to the cruise ship's doctor with respiratory symptoms and other signs of pneumonia, according to the WHO.

His symptoms had worsened by April 26, so the passenger was medically evacuated a day later from the island of Ascension to South Africa, where he remained hospitalized in an intensive care unit. Tests confirmed that the man had contracted the Andes virus, South African health officials and the WHO said.

Another passenger, from Germany, died aboard the Hondius on May 2, officials said. According to the WHO, the woman initially developed a fever on April 28 and eventually presented with symptoms of pneumonia.

Officials said three people were evacuated from the ship Wednesday and flown to the Netherlands to receive medical care.

Two of them, a Dutch passenger and a British cruise crew member, had shown symptoms of the virus, . . .

Conditions of the three people were described as serious.

A Swiss man who disembarked the cruise ship in Saint Helena tested positive for the Andes strain of hantavirus, according to Swiss health officials and the WHO. The man developed symptoms and underwent testing in Zurich, . . .

The Swiss man's wife has not shown symptoms, but the article does not indicate whether she tested positive.

A British national on Tristan da Cunha, a remote group of islands part of the British Overseas Territory that includes Saint Helena, is another suspected case, U.K. officials said Friday.

So far, it is not clear who or how many went on the same bird-watching trip through Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, or part of it. Apparently, the development of some cases indicates possible person-to-person transmission. Of course, the virus could have been carried onto the ship from shoes and/or clothes.

I read one statement that indicated the Andes hantavirus can be transmitted for person to person. Ostensibly, a study by WHO and other health agencies would determine which cases might involve person-to-person transmission.

 

[emitted_echo]

Found this article interesting: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2009040

It follows a case study of an Andes-strain hantavirus "superspreader" event. It's believed that 1 infected person managed to spread it to 34 others. With events like this (or potential future genomic mutations that could increase human-to-human transmission), it is definitely a concerning event. For now though, most of what I have read from world health centers claims that there is a very low risk of another pandemic event from the hantavirus (Source: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/infec...llance-and-updates/questions-answers-outbreak)

Edit:
There was also a 2003 vaccination study that showed promising results against ANDV, so a the very least we won't be starting from scratch in the vaccination efforts haha (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC224585/)

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Hoping for the best!
https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/11/us/live-news/hantavirus-cruise-outbreak

 

[Astronuc]

From the CNN article - How big is the MV Hondius Andes hantavirus outbreak?

There have been at least nine reported cases, including seven confirmed and two probable, according to an update from the World Health Organization on Monday.

Among those cases, three people have died. This includes two individuals who were confirmed to have hantavirus and one probable case.

When the ship started to disembark on Sunday, there were 147 people on board — 87 passengers and 60 crew members. Among those are two Americans who are being closely monitored, including one individual who tested positive but is not included in the WHO’s reported cases and another who is showing symptoms.

There is additional investigation related to at least 30 passengers who disembarked at an earlier port and traveled to various countries, all before the outbreak was fully understood.

Authorities also say they’re completing additional contact tracing of about 90 individuals who were exposed to a confirmed case on a flight from Saint Helena to Johannesburg.

From the NEJM article, it mentions

most cases of Andes virus (ANDV) hantavirus pulmonary syndrome are caused by several members of the species Andes orthohantavirus: ANDV, Castelo dos Sonhos virus, Lechiguanas virus (LECHV), and Orán virus (officially classified strains) and Araucária virus, Araraquara virus, Bermejo virus, Buenos Aires virus, Juquitiba virus, Paranoá virus, and Plata virus (unclassified strains).

It seems that besides the variety of strains, the emphasis is on hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Does this imply those symptomatic with HPS can transmit the virus through aersols developed during coughing and/or sneezing (i.e., person-to-person transmission)?

In the background paragraph of the NEJM article, the cited example would imply up to a 32% mortality rate based on 11 fatalities of 34 confirmed cases.

From November 2018 through February 2019, person-to-person transmission of Andes virus (ANDV) hantavirus pulmonary syndrome occurred in Chubut Province, Argentina, and resulted in 34 confirmed infections and 11 deaths.

 

[emitted_echo]

From the CNN article - How big is the MV Hondius Andes hantavirus outbreak?



From the NEJM article, it mentions

It seems that besides the variety of strains, the emphasis is on hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Does this imply those symptomatic with HPS can transmit the virus through aersols developed during coughing and/or sneezing (i.e., person-to-person transmission)?

In the background paragraph of the NEJM article, the cited example would imply up to a 32% mortality rate based on 11 fatalities of 34 confirmed cases.

From what i've read it seems like the virus can spread through droplets during the prodromal stage. I don't remember the exact source because I have been researching all over, but all were from academic/research/government pages. I'll link it if I find the exact one.

Edit:
(from https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2009040):

"On the basis of both the epidemiologic and genomic investigations of person-to-person transmission events, it appears that inhalation of droplets or aerosolized virions may have been the routes of infection."