When the United Kingdom notified WHO on 2 May 2026 of a cluster of severe respiratory illness aboard a Dutch-flagged cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean, passengers from 23 countries were on board. Within days, cases of hantavirus (Andes strain) had been confirmed in South Africa, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

The cruise ship MV Hondius, affected by a hantavirus outbreak, leaves the port of Granadilla de Abona, Tenerife, Spain May 11, 2026. [Photo/Agencies]

A hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship has infected eight people with the Andes virus. Three individuals have died. The World Health Organization confirms…