Topline
In a critical operation to address the hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship, passengers will soon be evacuated under the supervision of the World Health Organization’s director-general. According to WHO officials, travelers will be transported back to their home countries amid varying protocols from different governments regarding monitoring and health regulations.
This aerial picture shows a general view of the cruise ship MV Hondius stationary off the port of Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, on May 4, 2026.
AFP via Getty Images
Timeline
The 17 U.S. passengers aboard the Hondius who have tested negative for hantavirus will not be subjected to mandatory quarantine upon their return, according to multiple outlets.
CDC officials have indicated that upon assessment at the National Quarantine Unit in Nebraska, U.S. passengers can either isolate at the facility or return home while maintaining contact with health officials for the next 42 days.
According to British health official Robin May, returning passengers may be advised to self-isolate for 45 days, likely at home, as reported by The Guardian.
Spanish passengers are reportedly set to undergo voluntary quarantine at the Gómez Ulla Central Defense Hospital in Madrid, according to a Thursday report from Politico, which cited Defense Minister Margarita Robles. However, Spanish Health Minister Mónica García stated that if passengers do not voluntarily isolate, authorities have the means to implement necessary public health measures.
On Saturday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced he would be traveling to Tenerife to oversee the closely monitored evacuation of asymptomatic passengers aboard the Hondius.
Passengers will be moved to the island’s airport via sealed and secure vehicles on Sunday, according to Ghebreyesus (see here for more details).
ABC News reported that passengers will don full protective gear, and those unprepared to board their flights will remain on the ship.
Unnamed sources informed CBS News that the CDC has activated a level three emergency response regarding the hantavirus outbreak, which involves the mobilization of disease experts.
CNN cites unnamed officials in reporting that the approximately 17 American passengers will be escorted on a charter flight to the National Quarantine Unit in Omaha. Forbes has contacted the CDC for further information.
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill stated that two residents are being monitored for exposure to a passenger with hantavirus after disembarking the vessel, along with other local health officials across various states.
Spanish health official Javier Padilla indicated that a 32-year-old woman in the southeastern province of Alicante, who traveled with a confirmed hantavirus patient from the ship, is now showing symptoms consistent with the disease, raising the total number of confirmed and suspected cases to nine (see map below).
Officials in Singapore reported that two residents who were onboard the cruise ship during the outbreak and shared a flight with the deceased passenger tested negative for the virus.
Canary Islands President Fernando Clavijo stated that the MV Hondius will not dock when it arrives in Tenerife on Saturday but will instead anchor offshore, with passengers transported to land when their evacuation flight is prepared. WHO officials have confirmed that no one remaining aboard the ship is currently showing symptoms.
U.K. health authorities identified a new suspected case connected to the outbreak—a British man residing on the remote island of Tristan da Cunha.
The World Health Organization confirmed that a KLM flight attendant who had mild symptoms after brief contact with a hantavirus patient has tested negative for the virus, supporting assertions regarding the necessity of close, prolonged contact for transmission.
President Donald Trump expressed to reporters that the hantavirus situation is “very much” under control and stated, “I hope not… We’ll do the best we can,” when questioned about public concerns.
Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo, CEO of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, articulated concerns about the nation’s preparedness in the wake of previous public health cuts, stating the U.S. is “not prepared” for a hantavirus outbreak.
Doctors are disputing claims circulating online that ivermectin, an FDA-sanctioned medication primarily for livestock, is effective against hantavirus.
Oceanwide Expeditions, the cruise ship operator, reported that at least 29 passengers from 12 nations disembarked the MV Hondius after the death of an initial passenger, prior to awareness of the outbreak. Those countries include Canada, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Switzerland, Sweden, Singapore, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus remarked that some of the passengers had shared a flight to Johannesburg with a woman from the ship who unfortunately passed away.
Ghebreyesus assured that none of the remaining passengers or crew on board the MV Hondius are exhibiting symptoms, although there remains potential for additional cases to emerge, considering the incubation period for the Andes variant of hantavirus can extend to six weeks. He emphasized that the public health risk is “low.”
A Dutch flight attendant who displayed mild symptoms after a brief encounter with a hantavirus patient has been subjected to testing.
An international team of scientists is actively working to develop a vaccine for hantavirus.
The CDC has the following personnel updates to announce: Luis Rodríguez, the American responsible for public health on cruise ships, is retiring.
WHO epidemic expert Maria Van Kerkhove stated, “This is not the next COVID, but it is a serious infectious disease. Most people will never be exposed to this.”
The World Health Organization confirmed that the number of confirmed hantavirus cases has risen to five, with three additional suspected cases among cruise passengers and crew.
Argentine officials indicated that the hantavirus outbreak might have originated from a bird-watching outing that took the deceased couple to a landfill where they could have been exposed to rodents carrying the virus.
Health officials confirmed that the hantavirus strain affecting the outbreak is the Andes variant, known for being one of the deadliest and the only strain that can transmit from person to person.
Spanish health minister Monica Garcia stated that the MV Hondius is heading toward Granadilla port in Tenerife, where passengers will disembark by May 11. Spanish nationals will undergo quarantine, while others will be sent home.
Three individuals requiring medical attention, including two in critical condition, have been evacuated from the MV Hondius and flown to the Netherlands by air ambulance.
A man who traveled on a previous leg of the ship’s voyage before flying back to Switzerland has been hospitalized in Zurich with a hantavirus strain, marking the first case linked to the MV Hondius after returning to the mainland.
The South African Department of Health confirmed tests on infected passengers of the MV Hondius indicate they are affected by the Andes virus, associated with a high fatality rate.
WHO confirmed the presence of a hantavirus strain aboard the ship with two lab-confirmed cases and five suspected cases.
Authorities in Cape Verde denied the MV Hondius permission to dock at the port of Praia, intended to safeguard public health.
A German national passed away aboard the MV Hondius.
A British passenger was medically evacuated to South Africa and is under treatment in intensive care.
The wife of the first victim passed away in Johannesburg after collapsing at a South African airport, identified as having the hantavirus.
A 70-year-old Dutch man died aboard the MV Hondius; his cause of death remains under investigation.
The MV Hondius departed from Ushuaia, Argentina.
There are nine confirmed or suspected hantavirus cases linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship as of Friday, May 8, 2026.
Forbes
Crucial Quote
“It’s been quite a mammoth effort,” Professor Robin May, chief scientific officer at the UK Health Security Agency, remarked about the contact tracing for the ship’s passengers. “We will continue to do that if other information arises.”
Where is the MV Hondius?
As of Friday morning, the ship is located off the coast of Morocco, navigating toward the Canary Islands. Passengers remain isolating in their cabins, while a medical team in protective gear is onboard.
Big Number
Almost 150. This is the total number of individuals currently aboard the MV Hondius, including citizens from 23 different countries, with 17 Americans.
Who Are The Hantavirus Patients?
- Suspected case: A 70-year-old Dutch man who passed away on April 11 aboard the MV Hondius is believed to be the first hantavirus case on the ship. No test samples were taken at the time.
- Confirmed case: The man’s 69-year-old wife died shortly after disembarking. Her blood tested positive for the Andes strain of hantavirus.
- Suspected case: A German woman died aboard the ship on May 2. Her body remains untested, yet officials suspect hantavirus was the cause.
- Confirmed case: A British expedition guide was evacuated to South Africa post-symptomatic presentation. He is in critical condition but improving, confirmed to have contracted the Andes virus.
- Confirmed case: A Dutch passenger was evacuated and flown to the Netherlands for medical care.
- Confirmed case: A British passenger was also evacuated to the Netherlands as well for treatment.
- Confirmed case: A Swiss man who disembarked during a stop in Saint Helena tested positive for the Andes strain after returning to Switzerland.
- Suspected case: A British man on Tristan da Cunha is reportedly suspected to have the virus linked to the cruise.
- Suspected case: A woman in Spain is undergoing testing after sharing a flight with an individual diagnosed with hantavirus.
- Tested negative: A KLM flight attendant who exhibited symptoms following brief contact with the deceased Dutch woman has tested negative for the virus.
What Happens To People Who May Have Been Exposed To Andes Hantavirus?
WHO Technical Officer Anaïs Legand elaborated that officials are tracing contacts with infected individuals and assessing exposure levels. Each person will be rated on a risk scale to determine their action plan, including daily temperature checks for 42 days and ongoing assessments for symptoms. While specifics may vary by country, a daily check-in with a medical professional, whether in-person or via digital means, is advised.
Key Background
The MV Hondius set sail from Ushuaia, Argentina on April 1, visiting some of the world’s most secluded islands along the route. The ship previously made stops in Antarctica, South Georgia, Nightingale Island, Tristan da Cunha, St. Helena (where the deceased man’s remains were removed), and Ascension Island before aiming for the Cape Verde port of Praia, which was ultimately denied.
Tangent
A passenger aboard the MV Hondius, who disembarked after several weeks, expressed dissatisfaction over the operator’s failure to alert them of potential viral risks following the first passenger’s death. Turkish YouTuber Ruhi Cenet stated, “We were told he was not infectious,” which led to complacency during communal activities onboard.
What Is The Andes Hantavirus?
The Andes strain is the sole hantavirus known to spread between individuals. Typically, hantavirus is contracted through contact with infected rodents, yet officials confirm that no rodent infestations have been identified on the MV Hondius. Found primarily in South America, particularly Argentina and Chile, person-to-person transmission usually requires close contact during early illness stages, when the virus is most contagious. The CDC asserts that symptoms can appear within one to two weeks, although delays up to eight weeks are possible. Overall, they maintain a “low” risk of widespread transmission when proper infection control measures are adhered to.
What Are The Symptoms Of Hantavirus?
Hantaviruses cause two distinct syndromes: hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, prevalent in the Western Hemisphere, and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, primarily seen in Europe and Asia. The initial symptoms of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome include fatigue, fever, muscle aches, gastrointestinal discomfort, headaches, and dizziness, transitioning to respiratory complications. The mortality rate among those who exhibit respiratory symptoms is approximately 38%. In contrast, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome can result in various symptoms, such as blurred vision, low blood pressure, acute shock, internal bleeding, and kidney failure. The severity of illness varies by strain, with mortality rates ranging from less than 1% to 15%.
How Is Hantavirus Treated?
There is no particular treatment for hantavirus. Patients typically receive supportive care, including supplemental oxygen for respiratory distress and dialysis for kidney failure. Contrary to viral claims, medical professionals have affirmed that the antiparasitic drug ivermectin is not an established treatment for hantavirus infection.
Surprising Fact
In February 2025, Betsy Arakawa, spouse of actor Gene Hackman, died at 65 due to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.
