90-Second Read: 3 Seattle area residents being monitored for Hantavirus

Three King County residents may have been exposed to the Hantavirus that has killed and sickened passengers aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship. None of the three King County residents has tested positive for the Hantavirus or shown signs of illness so far, according to health officials. Read more about local Hantavirus from Public Health, Seattle & King County here. Passengers stand on the deck of the Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius after it arrives at the port of Granadilla in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, Sunday, May 10, 2026.

These are measures that have contained the spread in previous outbreaks of Hantavirus. They are being monitored along with 15 other Americans at the national quarantine center at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. Most types of Hantavirus, including those found in Washington state and the United States, don't spread from person to person. Another two exposed King County residents have returned home and are isolating.

Public Health, Seattle & King County officials said Tuesday that the risk to the public remains low. One of the King County residents was aboard the MV Hondius ship, but county health officials say that person remains asymptomatic. Valenciano acknowledged that the current news about Hantavirus is "scary" and "may bring back memories" from the Covid-19 pandemic. The Andes type of Hantavirus that spread on MV Hondius, however, can be spread between people through close contact.

Both residents have now returned to their shared home in King County. The residents have been "very cooperative," Valenciano said, and are limiting any non-essential activities outside of their home. If they must go out, health officials have instructed them to wear a well-fitting respirator or mask.