90-Second Read: Misinterpretation of Hantavirus Map Spreads Misinformation About Andes Strain in Europe and North America

Screenshots from HantavirusMap.com are being falsely shared as evidence of a rapid Andes Hantavirus spread across Europe and North America. An online map widely circulated on social media has been incorrectly used to suggest that the Andes strain of the Hantavirus is spreading rapidly across Europe and North America, according to a fact-check published by Euronews. Users claimed that red and orange markers on the map represented confirmed Hantavirus cases, especially in Europe and North America. The images in question are screenshots from HantavirusMap.com, which have been shared on platforms such as X and TikTok following an outbreak of the virus on the cruise ship MV Hondius.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control reported in its 26 May update that 13 cases of the virus had been recorded in total, including 11 confirmed and 2 probable. Health authorities anticipate additional cases due to the long incubation period of the Andes Hantavirus. Most Hantaviruses are transmitted through contact between infected rodents and humans, but the Andes variant can spread between people through close and prolonged contact with a symptomatic individual. In truth, the screenshots do not show new infections but rather compile news articles and community alerts from various locations.

Euronews fact-check confirms the map shows news alerts, not confirmed infections, with only 11 confirmed cases reported by the ECDC as of May 26, 2026. Bas Witkop, the creator of the site, told Euronews that he built the tool to aggregate public reports and official updates, not to track confirmed infections. After seeing the misinterpretation, Witkop added clearer disclaimers and stricter classification rules. The outbreak on the MV Hondius has sparked a wave of online health misinformation, echoing patterns observed during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to researchers.

The second case involved a person who was in preventive quarantine and had close contact with someone connected to the initial outbreak. The website includes a disclaimer stating that the map shows news signals, not confirmed cases, and then directs users to a World Health Organization update on actual confirmed case numbers.