A rare hantavirus outbreak linked to the Dutch expedition cruise ship MV Hondius has triggered health monitoring efforts across several U.S. states after infected passengers returned home before the outbreak was fully identified. Health officials say the public risk remains low, but authorities are closely tracking exposed travelers as investigations continue.
The outbreak, connected to the Andes strain of hantavirus, has reportedly caused at least three deaths and multiple confirmed or suspected infections among passengers and crew aboard the ship. The vessel had been traveling through Antarctica and remote South Atlantic islands after departing from Ushuaia, Argentina, in April 2026.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), seven cases were initially identified, including laboratory-confirmed infections and several suspected cases involving severe respiratory illness. The WHO said the Andes virus is especially concerning because it is one of the few hantavirus strains capable of limited human-to-human transmission through close contact.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now monitoring passengers in states including California, Texas, Georgia, Arizona, and Virginia. U.S. officials have also arranged government-supervised medical flights to transport additional American passengers from the ship to quarantine and evaluation facilities in Nebraska.
Health experts say hantavirus is typically spread through exposure to infected rodent urine, saliva, or droppings. Symptoms can begin with fever, fatigue, headaches, and muscle pain before progressing to serious breathing complications known as Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS). While the outbreak has raised global concern, officials stress that widespread transmission remains unlikely.
The MV Hondius outbreak has also sparked renewed discussions about infectious disease preparedness and cruise ship safety following years of heightened global health awareness after the COVID-19 pandemic. International agencies, including the WHO and European health authorities, continue to investigate the source of the infections and monitor passengers who may have been exposed during the voyage.