MV Hondius Hantavirus Outbreak 2026: What Happened on the Cruise Ship
A cluster of Andes hantavirus (ANDV) cases linked to the MV Hondius expedition cruise ship has resulted in 9 confirmed cases and 3 deaths across 12+ countries. Here is the full timeline and what authorities know so far.
What Is the MV Hondius?
The MV Hondius is an ice-strengthened expedition vessel operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, a Dutch polar travel company. The ship carries up to 174 passengers and is purpose-built for voyages to Antarctica, the Arctic, and remote sub-Antarctic islands.
The vessel was on a multi-week expedition route through South America and the South Atlantic when the outbreak began. The route passed through Argentina and Ushuaia — regions where Andes hantavirus is endemic in rodent populations — before heading toward Cabo Verde and Spain.
Full Outbreak Timeline
Passengers and crew members aboard the MV Hondius begin reporting respiratory and febrile symptoms during an expedition voyage. Initial cases are not yet connected to hantavirus.
Multiple passengers are medically evacuated by air from Cabo Verde. Two flights depart for the Netherlands with symptomatic patients on May 6–7, 2026 (WHO, May 8 DON).
WHO publishes Disease Outbreak News (DON-600) confirming an Andes hantavirus cluster linked to the MV Hondius. At the time of publication: 9 confirmed cases, 3 deaths.
The vessel docks at Granadilla, Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain). ECDC reports that remaining passengers and crew begin disembarking and are repatriated via commercial flights.
An American passenger connected to the MV Hondius voyage tests positive for hantavirus, confirming the outbreak spans multiple continents.
ECDC confirms that genomic analysis shows no mutation in the Andes virus strain. The virus behaves as previously documented — rare person-to-person transmission remains a feature specific to Andes virus only.
How Did Hantavirus Spread on the Ship?
Unlike most hantavirus strains (which spread only from rodent to human), Andes virus (ANDV) is uniquely capable of person-to-person transmission. This is the only hantavirus strain known to spread between humans, making the shipboard cluster particularly significant.
Investigators believe the initial exposure likely occurred during shore excursions in Argentina or Chile, where Andes hantavirus circulates in long-tailed rice rats (Oligoryzomys longicaudatus). Subsequent cases on board may reflect person-to-person transmission via close contact.
As of May 13, 2026, ECDC confirms that genomic sequencing shows no mutation in the virus — it behaves consistently with previously documented Andes virus characteristics.