90-Second Read: Hantavirus cases from cruise ship outbreak rise to 13

The first Spanish case was announced on May 11, when Spain's health minister confirmed that one passenger aboard the MV Hondius had tested positive for Hantavirus shortly after authorities completed the vessel's evacuation operation. Hantavirus is a rare disease usually transmitted through infected rodents or their droppings. The WHO estimates there are 10,000 to 100,000 human Hantavirus cases globally each year, with severity varying by strain.

The newly confirmed case is the second positive case among 14 Spanish nationals who were evacuated to Tenerife from MV Hondius, a luxury liner that was carrying approximately 150 passengers and crew from 23 countries. Spain's Health Ministry said the case was detected during periodic diagnostic checks carried out on individuals under follow-up. The detection of the case has occurred within the already activated isolation and control system, so it does not alter the risk situation for the general population.

In the last two weeks, all remaining passengers, crew members and medical staff disembarked the ship. The strain behind this outbreak, the Andes virus, can also spread between humans through prolonged close contact, often in enclosed settings. The patient had already been under clinical surveillance and isolation since admission, in accordance with established protocols.