The World Health Organization has confirmed the first documented case of person-to-person transmission of Andes hantavirus aboard the MV Hondius. Eight passengers have fallen ill, five cases are confirmed, and three deaths have been reported.
Hantavirus is carried by rodents such as rats and mice. It spreads through urine, droppings, saliva, or nesting materials, and rarely between people except after prolonged close contact. Symptoms include fever, fatigue, muscle aches, headaches, nausea, and later breathing problems or kidney issues. Illnesses caused include pulmonary syndrome, which affects the lungs, and renal syndrome, which affects the kidneys and blood vessels.
The incident unfolded aboard the Dutch‑flagged expedition cruise ship MV Hondius, which had departed Argentina in early April 2026 for a bird‑watching voyage through South America.
On April 9, a male passenger developed symptoms while at sea. At the time, hantavirus was not suspected, and samples were not taken. His wife later disembarked when the ship docked at St Helena on April 24. She subsequently died in Johannesburg, South Africa, where tests confirmed Andes hantavirus infection.
Investigations revealed the couple had visited sites in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay where rodents known to carry the virus were present. This exposure is believed to have been the source of the infection. Once on board, the virus spread between people in the confined environment of the ship—something WHO experts described as the first documented human‑to‑human transmission of hantavirus in a maritime setting.
By the end of April, eight passengers were reported ill, with five confirmed cases and three deaths. WHO emphasized that transmission required prolonged close contact, unlike Covid‑19 or influenza. Passengers were instructed to isolate in cabins, wear masks, and use protective equipment.
The ship continued its voyage across the South Atlantic, stopping at Cape Verde before heading toward the Canary Islands, where Spain agreed to accept it on humanitarian grounds. Despite local unease in Tenerife, WHO assessed the risk to the wider population as low.
WHO epidemiologist Maria van Kerkhove said the outbreak is not comparable to Covid-19. “This is not SARS-CoV-2. This is not the start of a Covid pandemic. It spreads very differently, through close, intimate contact,” she said. Spain has agreed to allow the ship to dock in the Canary Islands, despite local unease. WHO has assessed the risk to the population there as low. More cases may emerge due to the virus’s incubation period of up to six weeks, but experts emphasize the outbreak is contained.
Prevention involves sealing holes to keep rodents out, cleaning droppings safely with disinfectant, storing food securely, and using traps to reduce infestations. There is no vaccine or specific cure; treatment is supportive, including oxygen therapy and dialysis. Early medical attention improves survival.
The outbreak is unprecedented in its setting but not in scale. Unlike Covid-19, hantavirus does not spread easily. The main risk remains rodent exposure, and the situation is being managed with strict precautions and international cooperation.
