Thursday, May 7, 2026

Hantavirus outbreak on cruise ship passengers

A hantavirus outbreak has been confirmed aboard the MV Hondius, a cruise ship carrying approximately 150 passengers from 23 countries, resulting in three deaths and multiple ill or symptomatic individuals. The ship has been stranded near Cape Verde in the Atlantic Ocean while health authorities work to test passengers and arrange medical evacuations. The Andes strain of hantavirus, capable of person-to-person transmission, has been identified in at least two passengers.