Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship Not a Global Threat, WHO Assures

The World Health Organization (WHO) has said the hantavirus outbreak linked to the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius is not expected to develop into a global pandemic, despite five confirmed cases and growing international concern over the spread of the virus.

WHO officials stated that the risk to the general public remains “low,” noting that hantavirus is primarily transmitted through contact with infected rodents and only rarely spreads between humans. The agency said the current outbreak is linked to the rare Andes strain, which has shown limited human-to-human transmission in previous outbreaks.

According to WHO and European health authorities, the outbreak aboard the expedition cruise ship has so far resulted in five confirmed cases, several suspected infections and three deaths involving passengers from different countries.

The MV Hondius, which departed Argentina in April carrying nearly 150 passengers and crew members from over 20 countries, became the center of international attention after multiple passengers developed severe respiratory symptoms during the voyage.

Several countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and the Netherlands, have begun tracing passengers and monitoring possible contacts after some travelers disembarked before the outbreak was officially confirmed.

Health authorities said the symptoms reported among infected passengers included fever, gastrointestinal complications, pneumonia and acute respiratory distress. WHO added that investigations are ongoing to determine the exact source of exposure and whether limited human transmission occurred onboard.

The ship was initially denied docking access in Cape Verde before Spanish authorities agreed to receive the vessel near the Canary Islands under strict health protocols. Some infected passengers have since been evacuated to hospitals in Europe and South Africa for treatment.

WHO emphasized that, unlike COVID-19, hantavirus outbreaks are usually isolated and do not spread easily across populations, although officials warned that additional cases may still emerge because the virus can take several weeks before symptoms appear.