MV Hondius Hantavirus Cluster (2026)
Cluster of Andes hantavirus infections aboard the Dutch expedition cruise ship MV Hondius, which departed Ushuaia, Argentina on 1 April 2026. As of 7 May 2026, 8 cases (5 confirmed, 3 suspected) and 3 deaths have been reported. The ship is in quarantine off Cape Verde awaiting transfer to the Canary Islands. Contact tracing is active in 6 countries.
Geographic spread
Timeline
- Nov 27, 2025Index case begins 4-month South America trip
Argentine ministry of health later traces the patient zero through Chile, Uruguay, and northern Argentina between Nov 2025 and Apr 2026.
Source → - Apr 1, 2026MV Hondius departs Ushuaia
The Dutch expedition cruise ship leaves Ushuaia, Argentina with 197 passengers and crew aboard, bound for a transatlantic itinerary.
Source → - Apr 6, 2026First passenger develops symptoms
Initial symptoms noted but not identified as hantavirus at the time — clinical presentation overlapped with other viruses.
Source → - Apr 11, 2026First death aboard
Dutch passenger dies five days after symptom onset. No samples taken at the time; hantavirus identified retroactively.
Source → - Apr 24, 202630 passengers disembark at Saint Helena
Health officials begin global tracing operation as 30 individuals leave the ship at the remote South Atlantic island.
Source → - May 4, 2026WHO opens Disease Outbreak News file (DON599)
First WHO statement on multi-country hantavirus cluster linked to cruise ship travel.
Source → - May 5, 2026Polymarket 'Hantavirus pandemic 2026' peaks at 38%
Prediction market spikes briefly amid alarm reports; total volume on the question crosses $1.3M.
Source → - May 7, 2026WHO confirms 5 cases; 'not the next COVID'
Director-General Tedros: outbreak not start of an epidemic or pandemic. WHO ships 2,500 diagnostic kits to 5 countries; deploys expert aboard the ship.
Source → - May 11, 2026Projected ETA — Las Palmas, Canary Islands
Final disembarkation and medical screening planned at the Spanish port. Contact tracing of 146 remaining passengers from 23 countries to begin.
Source →
Key facts
- Index case did a 4-month road trip across Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay between Nov 2025 and Apr 2026.
- Andes virus is the only hantavirus strain with documented person-to-person transmission, but only via close prolonged contact.
- WHO assesses global risk as 'low' as of 7 May 2026.
- ECDC assesses risk for general European population as 'very low'.
- Passengers from 23 different countries were aboard; 17 Americans were among those still on the ship.
- Mortality rate for Andes hantavirus pulmonary syndrome historically 30-40%.