Health authorities across at least a dozen countries are monitoring passengers from a cruise ship linked to a deadly hantavirus outbreak, as officials work to contain fears surrounding the rare disease while emphasizing that the broader public risk remains low.
The outbreak aboard the MV Hondius has resulted in three deaths and several confirmed or suspected infections, prompting an international response involving the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and public health agencies across multiple continents.
Former passengers from the expedition vessel have dispersed around the world after disembarking at various points during the voyage. In the United States, health officials confirmed that individuals connected to the ship are being monitored in Arizona, California, Georgia, Texas and Virginia. Authorities said none of those individuals have shown symptoms so far.
Despite growing international concern, the WHO said the outbreak does not represent the beginning of a larger epidemic or pandemic. Officials described the overall public health risk as low, noting that hantavirus infections remain extremely rare and are generally difficult to transmit between people.
The strain identified aboard the vessel is the Andes variant of hantavirus, which differs from most forms of the virus because it can spread through close personal contact. Health experts stressed, however, that it is far less contagious than airborne illnesses such as influenza or Covid 19. The virus is more commonly associated with exposure to infected rodents.
Passengers still aboard the ship described a calmer atmosphere after medical teams and infectious disease specialists arrived. Travelers have been asked to remain in their cabins while crews disinfect shared areas and monitor anyone showing symptoms. Masks and distancing measures are also being enforced throughout the vessel.
One passenger, a physician who assisted after the ship’s doctor became ill, said conditions have stabilized in recent days and no additional illnesses have emerged over the past week. WHO epidemiologists and European infectious disease experts are now onboard to oversee containment efforts.
The outbreak investigation has focused in part on passengers who disembarked on the remote Atlantic island of St. Helena before contact tracing procedures were fully implemented. Cruise operator Oceanwide Expeditions said it is attempting to confirm the whereabouts of all passengers who left the ship there, including several Americans.
Authorities in Argentina are also investigating the possible origin of the outbreak. Officials in Ushuaia, where the voyage began, announced plans for rodent trapping and thousands of diagnostic tests as they attempt to determine how the virus may have entered the ship.
The vessel is currently heading toward the Canary Islands, where evacuations and medical transfers are expected to continue under strict health supervision. Several patients have already been transported to hospitals in Europe and South Africa for treatment.
