— New cases may develop from ongoing monitoring, not a widening outbreak
May 15, 2026
• 2 min read
The hantavirus that triggered a cruise ship outbreak hasn't mutated into a more transmissible strain, World Health Organization (WHO) officials said, and any new cases likely reflect effective monitoring of existing contacts rather than an expanding outbreak.
The outbreak aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship has led to 10 cases of hantavirus disease -- including eight laboratory-confirmed cases and two probable cases -- and three deaths. That case tally dropped from 11, after a U.S. oncologist who was a passenger was confirmed negative for infection.
