90-Second Read: Two Maryland residents monitored for Hantavirus after sharing flight with infected cruise ship passenger

Maryland health officials say two residents are being monitored for potential Hantavirus exposure after flying with an infected MV Hondius cruise ship passenger. No Hantavirus cases have been reported in Maryland since 2019, and Andes virus infections have never been identified in the state, officials said. American passengers from the cruise ship MV Hondius arrived in Omaha, Neb., on Monday, May 11, 2026, after flying from Tenerife, Spain.

View of the cruise ship MV Hondius docked in the port of Granadilla before setting course for the Netherlands, on May 11, 2026, in Granadilla de Abona, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. Medical staff direct some of the last passengers to be evacuated from the MV Hondius on May 11, 2026, in Tenerife, part of the Canary Islands, Spain. The Hantaviruses that are found throughout the United States are not known to spread between people.

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a rare infectious disease that starts with flu-like symptoms and can quickly progress to life-threatening lung and heart problems. Similar Hantavirus cases have been reported in Arizona, California and Georgia. Health authorities said they are taking these steps out of an abundance of caution.