MV Hondius Hantavirus Outbreak
An ongoing Andes-virus hantavirus outbreak linked to the Dutch expedition cruise ship MV Hondius, which departed Ushuaia, Argentina on April 1, 2026 and arrived in Tenerife on May 10, 2026. Cases have been reported across at least eight countries following passenger repatriation.
Confirmed + Probable
11
cases
Deaths
3
2 lab-confirmed Andes
CFR
27.3%
this cohort
Nationalities
23
aboard the vessel
What is Andes virus?
Andes virus (ANDV) is a New World hantavirus endemic to southern Argentina and Chile. It causes hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) — a rapidly progressing illness with reported case-fatality rates of 35–50%. Its primary reservoir is the long-tailed pygmy rice rat (Oligoryzomys longicaudatus).
Andes virus is currently the only hantavirus with documented person-to-person transmission, primarily in close, sustained-contact settings such as households and healthcare exposures. WHO has repeatedly assessed the risk of broader epidemic spread as low.
Outbreak Timeline
April 1, 2026
Departure from Ushuaia
MV Hondius departs Ushuaia, Argentina with 147 people aboard — 88 passengers and 59 crew from 23 nationalities — for an Antarctic and South Atlantic expedition cruise.
April 6, 2026
Index case develops symptoms
An elderly Dutch passenger develops fever, fatigue, and shortness of breath. Earlier shore excursion included a landfill area near Ushuaia where Oligoryzomys rodents are endemic carriers of Andes virus.
April 11, 2026
First death aboard
The index patient dies at sea. Cause initially attributed to natural causes; samples retained for later testing.
April 24, 2026
Saint Helena stop
Ship docks at Saint Helena. Body removed; 30 passengers disembark and begin scheduled flights home. Contact tracing later extends across multiple European countries, the US, and South Africa.
April 26, 2026
Second death (Johannesburg)
The widow of the index patient is evacuated to Johannesburg and dies shortly after arrival at an emergency department.
May 2, 2026
Third death aboard
A third passenger dies while the ship remains at sea. WHO and ECDC notified.
May 4, 2026
Andes virus confirmed
PCR and gene sequencing on stored samples confirm Andes hantavirus (ANDV). Outbreak elevated to multi-country event of international concern.
May 6, 2026
Medical evacuation begins
Spanish Ministry of Health approves Tenerife arrival. Additional medical resources placed aboard; ship sets course for the Canary Islands.
May 7, 2026
WHO global advisory
WHO issues Disease Outbreak News DON599. Risk of wider epidemic assessed as low; person-to-person transmission monitored closely given Andes virus is the only hantavirus with documented human-to-human spread.
May 10, 2026
Arrival in Tenerife
Ship docks. Mass disembarkation under medical supervision. Repatriation flights coordinated to the United States, France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and South Africa.
May 11–12, 2026
Additional positives announced
France confirms a symptomatic positive case; the US confirms one mildly positive case on a repatriation flight to Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. Total confirmed and probable cases reach 11.
Cases by Country
Passengers and crew were repatriated to home countries after the ship docked in Tenerife. Confirmed and suspected cases are being managed under national public-health protocols.
United States
1 confirmed (mild), additional contacts under monitoring at Offutt AFB biocontainment facility, Nebraska.
Netherlands
2 hospitalized. Index case and spouse were Dutch nationals; both deceased.
France
1 confirmed symptomatic case. French Health Minister Stéphanie Rist emphasizing rapid contact tracing.
South Africa
1 critical in intensive care, Johannesburg. 1 fatality confirmed on arrival.
Switzerland
1 hospitalized, stable condition.
United Kingdom
1 Japanese national under medical supervision; passengers transiting through Saint Helena and Heathrow being traced.
Spain
Disembarkation point at Tenerife. Quarantine facilities established; no confirmed cases among Spanish nationals to date.
Germany
Repatriated passengers under home-isolation protocol coordinated by the Robert Koch Institute.
If you were aboard the MV Hondius or a connecting flight
- • Monitor yourself for fever, severe fatigue, muscle aches, headache, or shortness of breath for at least 6 weeks after disembarkation.
- • Seek immediate medical evaluation if symptoms develop. Tell the clinician you were aboard the MV Hondius — early supportive care improves outcomes.
- • Follow contact-tracing instructions from your national health authority (CDC, RKI, RIVM, Santé Publique France, FOPH, UKHSA, NICD, or local equivalent).
- • Avoid close contact with vulnerable household members during the monitoring window as a precaution.