WHO declares hantavirus outbreak on cruise ship MV Hondius over after last contact clears quarantine

Outbreak declared over

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced on Thursday that the hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius is over. The final contact of an exposed person finished their quarantine period, tested negative and has returned home. No new infections have been reported since 25 May.

“Today, the final contact of a person exposed to hantavirus on the cruise ship MV Hondius completed their quarantine period, tested negative and returned home. No further cases have been reported since the 25th of May. Therefore, WHO considers the hantavirus outbreak over.”

The voyage and its toll

The Dutch-flagged polar exploration vessel set sail from Ushuaia, Argentina, on 1 April. Before boarding, the first two cases had taken a bird-watching trip through Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, visiting sites where the rat species known to carry the virus is present. The first passenger died on 11 April while the ship was at sea between Argentina and South Africa. A second death followed on 26 April in Johannesburg, after that passenger was evacuated. A third passenger died on board on 2 May.

On 10 May, the Hondius anchored near Tenerife in Spain's Canary Islands. More than 120 remaining passengers were evacuated and flown to their home countries. The ship later docked in Rotterdam, Netherlands, on 18 May, where a reduced crew began a quarantine. After cleaning and disinfection, the vessel was cleared to sail again on 30 May.

A rare human-to-human strain

The virus involved was the Andes hantavirus strain, the only known hantavirus capable of spreading through close, prolonged human-to-human contact. Hantaviruses typically infect people through contact with rodents or their urine, droppings and saliva. Symptoms can include fever, severe fatigue, muscle aches, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and shortness of breath, appearing one to eight weeks after exposure. There are no approved vaccines or targeted antiviral treatments; care remains largely supportive.

“The Andes virus and other hantaviruses continue to pose a threat to public health in South America and some other regions where they are endemic. We need to continue monitoring this virus and preparing for its further spread.”

Global response and follow-up

More than 650 contacts were identified and followed up by health authorities in 33 countries and territories. Tedros thanked Argentina, Cabo Verde, Chile, the Netherlands, South Africa, the United Kingdom and especially Spain for supporting the response under the International Health Regulations, noting Spain's role in the safe disembarkation and repatriation in Tenerife.

The WHO is now coordinating a study with 21 countries to understand how the disease develops, aiming to support the development of diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines for future outbreaks. Tedros stressed that while this particular outbreak is closed, hantavirus remains a long-term public health challenge.

“We are also coordinating a study involving 21 countries to understand how the disease develops, which will support the development of diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines for future outbreaks.”