Is hantavirus present in Europe?

Yes — but only milder species, and at low rates. Puumala virus (PUUV), carried by bank voles, circulates in northern and central Europe (Scandinavia, Baltic states, Russia, Germany, France, Belgium, parts of northern Italy). Dobrava-Belgrade virus is found in the Balkans. These European species cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), with case fatality rates of 0.1-1% — much milder than the Andes virus involved in the 2026 MV Hondius cluster (CFR 30-40%). ECDC assesses risk for the general European population from the current outbreak as 'very low'. Annual European HFRS cases range from a few hundred to several thousand, mostly in Finland, Sweden, and parts of Russia.