Hantavirus crops up on a cruise ship - what scientists are watching

Key Points:

• Two passengers on the MV Hondius cruise ship in the Atlantic have tested positive for a hantavirus variant, with one death reported onboard and another passenger evacuated to a South African hospital; five additional suspected cases include two more deaths and two crew members with respiratory symptoms.
• The World Health Organization notes that hantavirus infections in humans are rare, typically causing flu-like symptoms but sometimes leading to severe illness and death; the virus is primarily transmitted through contact with rodent excreta, with rare human-to-human transmission.
• Researchers believe the infected passengers contracted the Andes virus, a New World hantavirus strain found in South America, especially Argentina, where there has been an ongoing outbreak with an increased fatality rate since 2025.
• The MV Hondius began its journey in Argentina, and infections may have occurred before boarding, during shore excursions, or onboard via exposure to contaminated areas; symptoms can take one to four weeks to appear, so more cases may surface.
• Experts emphasize that hantaviruses do not pose a pandemic risk but stress the importance of monitoring and conducting further research to develop vaccines and treatments.