The Andes virus infection outbreak aboard the Dutch-flagged cruise ship MV Hondius has triggered a major international health alert. As of May 12, 2026, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have confirmed that the cluster has grown to 11 cases, including nine laboratory-confirmed and two probable infections.
This Andes virus cluster represents one of the most significant documented instances of human-to-human transmission of a hantavirus. The outbreak has resulted in three fatalities, maintaining a high case fatality ratio that underscores the severity of the respiratory pathogen.
Following weeks of isolation at sea, the MV Hondius anchored near Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands on May 10, 2026. A massive international operation was launched to safely disembark and repatriate the 147 passengers and crew. As of May 11, all passengers have been evacuated and sent to their respective home countries via military and government aircraft.
The ECDC has classified all individuals who were on the ship as high-risk contacts. They are required to undergo a six-week mandatory quarantine to monitor for symptoms, given the virus’s long incubation period.
The MV Hondius is now proceeding to the Netherlands, where it will undergo a comprehensive professional disinfection process.
Investigators are currently assessing how the index case was infected. The working hypothesis suggests that “Case 1″—an adult male who boarded the ship in Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1—likely acquired the Andes virus through environmental exposure to rodent droppings during extensive travel in hantavirus-endemic regions of Argentina and Chile. While hantaviruses are typically contracted from rodents, this specific Andes virus strain is unique for its ability to spread between humans through close, prolonged contact. Genomic sequencing has confirmed that the cases on the ship share a high level of genetic similarity, strongly supporting the theory of a single spillover event followed by onboard transmission.
The management of the Andes virus outbreak involves a coordinated effort between the WHO, National IHR Focal Points, and health ministries across Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
Authorities are tracking passengers who disembarked early at stops like Saint Helena to prevent secondary outbreaks in their home communities.
The CDC and ECDC have issued advisories for healthcare providers to use stringent respiratory and contact precautions when treating suspected cases. While the risk to the general global population remains very low, the risk to those who were physically present on the MV Hondius is considered moderate to high, necessitating the strict 42-day monitoring period.
