90-Second Read: Bay Area health officials confirm resident exposed to Hantavirus on MV Hondius cruise ship

A San Francisco Bay Area resident who was on a passenger on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean linked to a deadly Hantavirus outbreak is being monitored, health officials said. May 10, 2026 / 9:51 AM PDT / CBS San Francisco A San Francisco Bay Area resident who was on a passenger on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean linked to a deadly Hantavirus outbreak is being monitored, health officials said. According to the Santa Clara County Public Health Department, a county resident was exposed to the Andes Hantavirus while on the MV Hondius. Officials said no additional information about the passenger will be released, citing medical privacy laws. The health department said monitoring is being conducted in coordination with the California Department of Public Health and the.

Nine people on the MV Hondius had confirmed or suspected cases of the Hantavirus, while three people have died, the World Health Organization said on Friday. According to officials, Hantaviruses are zoonotic viruses that are occasionally transmitted to humans. Officials said Andes Hantavirus can cause limited person-to-person transmission only through "close and prolonged contact", such as among household members or intimate partners. Once back in the U.S., the Americans will be quarantined in a biocontainment unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

At this time, there is no known risk to the public in Santa Clara County," health officer Dr. On Sunday, passengers on the MV Hondius began to disembark off the vessel in the Canary Islands. Among the nearly 150 people on board, 17 were Americans. Infection among humans usually takes place through contact with infected rodents, their urine, droppings or saliva.