WHO Confirms Hantavirus Cases on Antarctic Cruise Ship, Three Deaths Reported
GENEVA — May 7, 2026 — The World Health Organization has confirmed a cluster of hantavirus cases on an Antarctic cruise ship in the South Atlantic, with laboratory testing identifying seven cases including three deaths, in a rare outbreak linked to the Andes virus strain known to be capable of limited human-to-human transmission.
The Dutch-flagged vessel, the MV Hondius, departed from Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1, 2026, carrying 147 passengers and crew from 23 nationalities. The ship followed an itinerary across the South Atlantic with multiple stops in remote regions including mainland Antarctica, South Georgia, Nightingale Island, Tristan da Cunha, Saint Helena and Ascension Island, according to WHO’s Disease Outbreak News published on May 4, 2026 .
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As of May 5, 2026, WHO reported seven confirmed cases associated with the cruise ship, including three deaths, one critically ill patient evacuated to South Africa, and three individuals reporting mild symptoms . The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) later reported an eighth case, bringing the total to eight cases with three deaths .
Andes Virus Strain Identified
Laboratory testing conducted at South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases confirmed hantavirus infection in multiple patients. Further genetic sequencing identified the Andes virus (ANDV) strain, a species of hantavirus found primarily in South America that causes Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) with a high fatality rate .
“Orthohantavirus infections are viral zoonotic diseases transmitted to humans primarily through the inhalation of aerosols contaminated with the urine, faeces or saliva of infected rodents,” ECDC stated in its assessment report .
The incubation period for hantavirus typically ranges from one to six weeks. Symptoms include fever, gastrointestinal problems, followed by rapid progression to pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome and shock .
Timeline of Fatalities
The first fatality, an adult male, developed fever, headache and mild diarrhoea on April 6, 2026. He died on board on April 11 after developing respiratory distress .
The second fatality, an adult female who was a close contact of the first case, disembarked at Saint Helena with gastrointestinal symptoms on April 24. She died upon arrival at a hospital emergency department in Johannesburg, South Africa, on April 26. She was subsequently confirmed positive for hantavirus by PCR testing on May 4 .
A fourth case, an adult female, developed pneumonia and died on May 2 after symptom onset on April 28.
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A third patient, an adult male, was medically evacuated from Ascension Island to South Africa on April 27 and remains critically ill in an intensive care unit .
Human-to-Human Transmission Possible but Limited
WHO officials have stated that while the initial infections likely resulted from environmental exposure in South America, limited human-to-human transmission cannot be ruled out among close contacts on the ship.
Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s Director of Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention, told reporters in Geneva on May 5 that the first two patients—a couple—boarded the ship in Argentina . “Given the incubation period of hantavirus, which is typically one to six weeks, we assume they were infected before boarding,” she said .
However, she noted that human-to-human transmission of the Andes virus strain has been documented in previous outbreaks involving close and prolonged contact. “For other suspected cases, there could also be sources of infection on these islands. However, we do believe that human-to-human transmission among close contacts is possible, such as the couple and others sharing cabins,” Van Kerkhove said .
ECDC echoed this assessment, stating: “Person-to-person transmission of ANDV has only been documented following close and prolonged contact. The current hypothesis is that some passengers were exposed to ANDV while spending time in Argentina before embarking, where ANDV is endemic, and may subsequently have transmitted the virus to other passengers onboard the cruise ship” .
WHO: ‘This Is Not SARS-CoV-2’
Despite the fatalities, WHO officials have moved to quell fears of a new pandemic, emphasizing fundamental differences between hantavirus and the virus that caused COVID-19.
“I want to be unequivocal here: this is not SARS-CoV-2. This is not the same situation we were in six years ago,” Van Kerkhove told reporters .
Unlike SARS-CoV-2, which spreads easily through respiratory droplets, hantavirus requires very close, prolonged contact for human-to-human transmission. Only the Andes strain has been documented to spread between humans, and such transmission remains rare .
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the risk to the global population from this event remains low .
International Response and Medical Evacuations
The outbreak has triggered a coordinated international response involving authorities from Cabo Verde, the Netherlands, Spain, South Africa and the United Kingdom .
On May 6, three suspected hantavirus patients were evacuated from the ship and transported to the Netherlands for medical treatment, Tedros announced on social media platform X .
“The WHO continues to work with the cruise operator to closely monitor the health of passengers and crew members, while coordinating with relevant countries to support medical follow-up and evacuations where necessary,” Tedros said .
Dutch cruise operator Oceanwide Expeditions said two infectious disease specialists were traveling from the Netherlands to board the cruise ship to provide medical support. An additional medical professional was already on board the vessel .
The ship was moored off the coast of Cabo Verde as of May 4, and then headed toward the Canary Islands, where Spanish authorities were preparing to receive the vessel for further epidemiological investigation and disinfection .
Passengers Advised to Remain in Cabins
As a precautionary measure, passengers on board have been advised to practice maximal physical distancing, remain in their cabins where possible, and wear medical masks if leaving their rooms .
Medical teams in Cabo Verde have been evaluating patients and collecting additional specimens for testing. The WHO has activated three-level coordination and is supporting national authorities in implementing risk-based, evidence-informed public health measures .
Laboratory samples from symptomatic passengers are being sent, with WHO support, to the Institut Pasteur de Dakar in Senegal for additional testing .
Cruise Itinerary Ended in Disaster
The MV Hondius departed from Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1, 2026—a common launching point for Antarctic expeditions. Its itinerary included multiple landings in remote and ecologically diverse regions where passengers may have come into contact with wildlife or rodent habitats .
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention noted that the vessel was originally scheduled to sail to the Canary Islands via Cabo Verde .
The ship has been carrying a total of 147 individuals, including 88 passengers and 59 crew members . The cruise represented a 30-day expedition through some of the world’s most remote ecosystems—an itinerary that inadvertently provided multiple potential points of exposure to the virus.
Background on Hantavirus
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), also known as hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS), is a zoonotic viral respiratory disease caused by hantaviruses of the genus Orthohantavirus . More than 20 viral species have been identified within this genus. Sin Nombre virus is the predominant cause in North America, while Orthopoxvirus andesense is responsible for most cases in South America .
In 2025, eight countries in the Region of the Americas reported 229 cases and 59 deaths with a case fatality rate of 25.7 percent . Hantavirus infections are associated with a case fatality rate of less than 1 to 15 percent in Asia and Europe, and up to 50 percent in the Americas .
No specific antiviral treatment or vaccines are available for hantavirus infections. Early supportive care and immediate referral to a facility with a complete intensive care unit can improve survival .
Global Response Assessment
The WHO’s overall risk assessment for this event remains low for the global population . ECDC similarly assessed the risk to the general population in the EU/EEA from the spread of Andes virus from this outbreak as “very low,” noting that the natural reservoir for ANDV is not present in Europe .
CDC（台湾疾病管制署）indicated that the outbreak has been contained to a single international cruise ship and a small number of exported cases after disembarkation, and that the animal host for Andes virus is not present in Taiwan. The risk of direct importation is considered limited, and the domestic risk is low .
As of May 7, 2026, the MV Hondius remained off the coast of Cabo Verde. The three evacuated suspected patients were en route to the Netherlands for medical care. Spain has indicated it will receive the ship at the Canary Islands for further investigation and disinfection, though final port arrangements were still being confirmed .
Health authorities continue to monitor all passengers and crew who have disembarked or remain on board, in cooperation with the ship operator and national health authorities .
SOURCES / INPUTS
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