WHO: Hantavirus outbreak on Hondius cruise ship nears end, 30 contacts still monitored

Outbreak status

The Hantavirus outbreak that began on a cruise ship is winding down, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on 29 June 2026. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wrote on X that the situation remains stable. All contacts of the two cases identified in South Africa have completed their follow-up observation without any further infections. Quarantine and monitoring periods in Spain and the Netherlands have also concluded.

The situation remains stable.

The Hondius cruise

The outbreak originated on the Hondius, a vessel operated by Dutch company Oceanwide Expeditions, during a cruise that began in Argentina. About 150 people from 23 countries were on board. Several passengers contracted the Hantavirus, specifically the Andes type found in South America. The Andes virus is the only Hantavirus known to occasionally transmit from person to person; typically, the virus spreads through rodent droppings in dust.

Quarantine and monitoring

After the outbreak was detected, the ship docked at the island of Tenerife in May 2026. Passengers were repatriated to their home countries under special safety protocols. The WHO had recommended monitoring all people from the ship until 21 June. In Germany, a contact person in Baden-Württemberg completed quarantine about a week ago. State health minister Oliver Hildenbrand confirmed the person was symptom-free throughout the observation period and left quarantine healthy.

The person was symptom-free during the entire observation period and left quarantine healthy.

Case numbers and risk

The total number of confirmed cases remains at 13, including three deaths. Thirty contacts are still being monitored. The WHO had already assessed the risk to the general population as low weeks ago and reiterated that there is no danger of a large wave of infections or a pandemic.