Tuesday, May 19, 2026

Hantavirus outbreak linked to cruise ship travel

A hantavirus outbreak aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius resulted in at least 11 confirmed or suspected cases and three deaths, marking the first known hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship. The Andes strain of hantavirus was identified, believed to have originated from passenger exposure to rodents in South America before boarding. The ship docked in Rotterdam, Netherlands on May 18, 2026 for disinfection, while passengers and crew were quarantined across more than 20 countries.