Lucas Ferreira

Lucas connects international coverage with calm, readable context.

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dzrh.com.ph

90-Second Read: 38 Pinoys from Hantavirus-hit MV Hondius return home after 42-day quarantine in Netherlands — DMW

Jun 20, 3:09 AM EDT

Thirty-eight Filipino crew members of the MV Hondius cruise ship, which was affected by a Hantavirus outbreak, have returned to the Philippines, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) announced. According to the DMW, all 38 Filipino crew members had tested negative for the virus before undergoing quarantine and were cleared to return home. Cacdac, along with officials and representatives from the Department of Health (DOH), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ), Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) medical team, and the crew's licensed recruitment agency. The returning seafarers were welcomed by DMW Secretary Hans Leo J.

The Guardian

90-Second Read: Right now, we could be living through a Hantavirus disaster. The world avoided that, and this is why

Jun 15, 10:09 AM EDT

There were 147 passengers and crew, and on 4 May seven cases of respiratory illness on board were identified as the Andes strain of Hantavirus, which has been known to spread from human to human. Without rapid recognition of Hantavirus and intervention, the passengers could have been free to disembark, disperse and go back to mixing in cities and countries across the world. As of today, the Hantavirus outbreak seems to have been contained, with a total of only 13 cases, all in passengers who travelled onboard the ship. This was already an extremely unlucky outcome, Hantavirus is deadly, with death rates approaching 30% based on recent research, but most strains only spread from animals to humans.

Jamaica Gleaner

90-Second Read: Tools to fight Hantavirus show promise

Jun 13, 6:03 AM EDT

Researchers on Wednesday published a hint that a drug used for an autoimmune disease may help Hantavirus patients fight off the deadliest symptoms. The Andes virus, the germ behind the cruise ship outbreak, is a particular focus of researchers because it is the only Hantavirus thought to be able to spread between people in some cases. Separately, in Chile, the Ministry of Health has confirmed 15 deaths and 42 cases of Hantavirus so far this year. They and others hope the attention that the cruise ship outbreak brought to the virus, and concern that Hantavirus infections could become more common as climate change is expected to increase contact between people and rodents, may bring new momentum to the hunt.

World Health Organization (WHO)

90-Second Read: Twenty-one countries launch coordinated Andes virus research initiative following Hantavirus outbreak

Jun 12, 10:47 AM EDT

The study will use ISARIC ( International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infection Consortium ), an adaptable research framework designed to enable rapid, standardized data and sample collection during emerging infectious disease outbreaks. Scientific evidence generation during outbreaks must become operational, coordinated, and immediately deployable. Countries and regions where outbreaks emerge or pathogens circulate must be central participants in evidence generation through strengthened clinical trial networks, national ethics committees, laboratory systems, surveillance platforms, and outbreak research infrastructure.

Medical Xpress

90-Second Read: Scientists track single-dose vaccines for Andes Hantavirus strain

Jun 12, 7:20 AM EDT

In a study published in The Lancet, researchers at The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) report the development of new vaccines that, in animal testing, provided full protection against the deadly Andes Hantavirus after a single dose. Alexander Bukreyev, Ph.D., head of the Laboratory of Viral Pathogenesis and Vaccine Development at UTMB, said that with backing from the National Institutes of Health, UTMB is working to fast-track these single-dose vaccines into human clinical trials. Other Hantaviruses are typically spread through contact with infected rodents, making the Andes virus a much more significant public health threat.

Travel And Tour World

90-Second Read: Luxury Adventure Tourism Faces Fresh Health Fears After MV Hondius Hantavirus Outbreak Impacts International Cruise Travelers

Jun 9, 5:35 PM EDT

MV Hondius Hantavirus outbreak raises new cruise travel safety concerns as monitored passengers return home under strict health guidance. The global cruise industry is facing renewed health discussions after American passengers connected to the MV Hondius Hantavirus outbreak returned home following weeks of medical monitoring. International health authorities later confirmed multiple cases linked to the outbreak. The incident has attracted worldwide attention because the outbreak occurred aboard a luxury expedition cruise traveling through isolated regions of the South Atlantic.

Yahoo News Singapore

90-Second Read: Two Singapore residents who were on board MV Hondius complete Hantavirus quarantine

Jun 7, 3:30 AM EDT

SINGAPORE, Two Singapore residents who were being monitored for Hantavirus have been released from quarantine after testing negative for the disease. Most Hantavirus cases are expected to show signs of infection within this window. The 67-year-old Singaporean and 65-year-old Singapore permanent resident, both men, were last exposed to the virus on April 25 during a flight they shared with a confirmed Hantavirus case.

Saudi Gazette

90-Second Read: WHO says Hantavirus cases remain at 13, no new deaths reported

Jun 6, 11:45 PM EDT

The World Health Organization said Hantavirus cases remain at 13, including three deaths, with no new fatalities reported for more than a month. GENEVA, The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday that the number of confirmed Hantavirus cases remains at 13, with no new deaths reported for more than a month. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the outbreak has resulted in 13 cases, including three deaths.

AOL.com

90-Second Read: Scientists testing rodents for Hantavirus in Argentina’s famous wine region of Mendoza after cruise ship outbreak

Jun 6, 8:33 AM EDT

The rare outbreak on the MV Hondius was caused by the Andes Hantavirus, a disease carried by rodents endemic to Argentina and Chile. As repatriated cruise passengers from more than 20 countries have disembarked and entered specialised quarantine centres, epidemiologists are meticulously examining the 11 confirmed Hantavirus cases. Shortly after news of the outbreak emerged, Argentina's Health Ministry identified Ushuaia as a possible source of the contagion and last month sent investigators from the Malbran government research institute to collect rodent samples in various wooded areas around the city.

The Independent

90-Second Read: Scientists retrace steps of Dutch tourists as Argentina expands Hantavirus probe

Jun 6, 5:31 AM EDT

Argentina is expanding its investigation into a Hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Argentine authorities have expanded their investigation into a rare Hantavirus outbreak that struck an Atlantic cruise ship, dispatching scientists to the western province of Mendoza to trap and test rodents. The rare outbreak on the MV Hondius was caused by the Andes Hantavirus, a disease carried by rodents endemic to Argentina and Chile.

The Straits Times

90-Second Read: Argentina to expand Hantavirus search to second province as probe on cruise ship outbreak widens

Jun 6, 3:50 AM EDT

The MV Hondius was sailing from Ushuaia in Argentina to Cape Verde in April when its journey was disrupted after three passengers died following a Hantavirus outbreak. BUENOS AIRES, Argentina will expand its search for Hantavirus-carrying rodents to western Mendoza province as part of an investigation into a deadly cruise ship outbreak in April, the Health Ministry said on June 5. Hantavirus is endemic in several Argentine provinces, though not in Mendoza.

AP News

90-Second Read: Argentina expands Hantavirus probe, sending teams to trap and test rats in Mendoza

Jun 5, 7:27 PM EDT

Argentina is expanding its investigation into a Hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship. The rare outbreak on the MV Hondius was caused by the Andes Hantavirus, a disease carried by rodents endemic to Argentina and Chile and the only Hantavirus thought to be able to spread between people in some cases. On Friday, the ministry said specialists from Malbran, together with U.S. counterparts at the CDC, were preparing to test rodents for the Hantavirus in the city of Malargüe, Mendoza from June 8-12.

Buenos Aires Times

90-Second Read: Argentina to expand Hantavirus search to Mendoza Province

Jun 5, 6:49 PM EDT

Argentina will expand its search for Hantavirus-carrying rodents to western Mendoza Province as part of an investigation into a deadly cruise ship outbreak in April, the Health Ministry said Friday. The MV Hondius was sailing from Ushuaia in Argentina's south to Cape Verde when its journey was disrupted after three passengers died following a Hantavirus outbreak. Scientists from the institute will next travel to Mendoza Province to conduct further investigations with experts from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from June 8 to 12, Argentina's Health Ministry announced Friday. Specialists from Argentina, joined by experts from the United States, will extend rodent analysis to Mendoza.

Medical Xpress

90-Second Read: New Hantavirus sequencing tool maps whole genomes from hard-to-test samples

Jun 5, 2:20 PM EDT

Whole genome sequencing is an integral part of this work, though the genomes of these viruses are difficult to sequence using existing approaches. A new method for whole-genome sequencing of Hantaviruses improves on today's strategies for identifying outbreaks. Whole genome sequencing can help microbiologists and epidemiologists better understand the complexities of Hantaviruses. Infections by Hantaviruses are rare but dangerous, killing 30, 40% of infected people.

BusinessWorld - BusinessWorld Online

90-Second Read: EU secures emergency deliveries of potential treatment against Hantavirus

Jun 4, 5:11 AM EDT

THE FIRST doses of an experimental antiviral for Hantavirus treatment are being dispatched to France, Spain and the Netherlands, the European Commission said on Thursday. In the absence of a specific treatment for Hantavirus, the European Medicines Agency identified favipiravir as the most plausible candidate for use under clinical trial or compassionate use protocols, the Commission said in a statement. The European Union is launching emergency procurement procedures to secure additional doses in case further Hantavirus cases are confirmed in the coming weeks.

The Straits Times

90-Second Read: 2 S’pore residents who were on board MV Hondius still Hantavirus-free, allowed to quarantine at home

Jun 2, 10:53 PM EDT

Both men were last exposed to the Hantavirus on April 25, when they shared a flight with a confirmed Hantavirus case from St Helena to the South African city of Johannesburg, after disembarking from the MV Hondius ship. The two men were on board the Hantavirus-hit cruise ship MV Hondius when it left the Argentinian port of Ushuaia on April 1, and disembarked at the remote British island of St Helena on April 24. The two Singapore residents tested negative for Hantavirus infection after their return, the CDA said on May 8. The pair were allowed to transition to home quarantine for the last 12 days of their quarantine, from May 25 to June 6.

World Health Organization (WHO)

90-Second Read: Amid Ebola and Hantavirus, science-based information critical for communities as countries strengthen preparedness

Jun 2, 3:00 AM EDT

False claims such as, consuming alcohol can prevent Ebola or Hantavirus, only increase health risks. Effective public health responses depend on facts, science-based guidance and solidarity rather than assumptions about people based on their nationality, ethnicity or place of origin.Preparedness across the South-East Asia RegionThe current risk of BVD in the Region is low. WHO continues to work closely with Member States and partners to strengthen preparedness and response capacities while promoting calm, informed and science-based public health action across the Region. Accurate information helps protect communitiesMisinformation often spreads rapidly during outbreaks and can increase health risks, delay care-seeking and undermine public health response.

World Health Organization (WHO)

90-Second Read: WHO Health Emergencies EPI-WIN webinar: Hantavirus in focus III: reflections from a Border Health and Point of Entry perspective

Jun 1, 9:50 AM EDT

The webinar focuses on initial reflections from national public health authorities and border health stakeholders about the Hantavirus multi-country response linked to cruise ship travel and the collaborative work for the border health management of public health events. Thursday, 4 June 2026, 13:00-14:00 (CEST) The complex multi-country response to the Hantavirus outbreak linked to cruise ship travel is an unprecedented test of the global border health system. For this reason, the outbreak has been described as a 'quintessential border health event'.

Avian Flu Diary

90-Second Read: WHO DON Update: Hantavirus outbreak linked to cruise ship travel, Multi-locations

May 29, 5:32 AM EDT

While additional Hantavirus cases are still possible, a much larger threat has since emerged in Central Africa with the rapidly expanding Bundibugyo virus outbreak in the DRC and Uganda. Yesterday the WHO released their first formal DON update on the Andes Hantavirus outbreak since May 13th, which adds the 3 latest cases, and reiterates that the global risk level from this outbreak remains low. Since the last DON was published on 13 May, three additional confirmed cases were reported, from Canada, the Netherlands, and Spain. The previously reported inconclusive case from the United States of America was subsequently determined to be negative following further laboratory testing and has been removed from the total case count.

NewsNation

90-Second Read: Hantavirus outbreak stable at 13 cases: WHO

May 28, 11:39 AM EDT

A Hantavirus outbreak that began on a cruise ship in April has infected 13 people, with three fatalities. The Hantavirus outbreak began on the MV Hondius cruise ship in April, when an elderly man and his wife became sick. Other passengers who left the ship before the outbreak began are being monitored by public health officials.

BioSpace

90-Second Read: Lilly wheels and deals, Moderna gets boost on Hantavirus scare, ASCO excitement builds

May 27, 6:38 AM EDT

Outside of vaccines, Lilly scooped up preclinical biotech Engage Bio for $202 million and teamed up with AI company Collaborative Drug Discovery for its life sciences data management solutions. These deals and Lilly's skyrocketing revenue pushed the Indianapolis-based company to the top of IDEA Pharma's list of best inventors and innovators. Though not stealing as many headlines as Lilly, Moderna also made news this week with a surprising uptick in its share price that analysts are attributing to the so-called "fear trade" that is rising amid reports of a cluster of cases of Hantavirus. On Tuesday, the company dove into the deep end of vaccine development with three separate buys in the space: Curevo, LimmaTech Biologics and Vaccine Company.

AOL.com

90-Second Read: Brit hospitalised with Hantavirus in the Netherlands after cruise ship outbreak returns to UK

May 26, 5:37 PM EDT

The person was medically evacuated from the Netherlands to England and is now following strict infection prevention and control measures A British national treated for Hantavirus in the Netherlands has been medically evacuated back to the UK, health officials have confirmed. The infection is linked to an outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius, which has seen at least 11 passengers report cases, including three fatalities. The expedition guide and former police officer was flown to receive specialist medical care in the Netherlands after being airlifted off the vessel. This case was previously identified by the World Health Organisation on 7 May.

La Jolla Institute

90-Second Read: How our immune cells combat Andes Hantavirus

May 26, 5:22 PM EDT

LJI scientists recently shared a new analysis of how the immune system's B cells respond to Andes Hantavirus. These B cells can then churn out antibodies to neutralize Andes Hantavirus. According to health officials, the Andes Hantavirus outbreak aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius appears to have originated with an elderly couple who boarded the ship after touring areas of South America, including Argentina. Scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) are developing tools to fight Hantaviruses, including the Andes strain of Hantavirus, which recently caused an outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius.

Travel And Tour World

90-Second Read: International Cruise Travel Faces Fresh Safety Spotlight After Deadly Hantavirus Scare on Expedition Ship

May 26, 2:07 PM EDT

Global travelers face new cruise safety concerns after the Hantavirus cruise ship outbreak linked to MV Hondius triggered quarantines in Spain. A luxury expedition cruise that promised breathtaking polar landscapes and remote travel experiences has now become a major international health story. The outbreak of Hantavirus linked to the expedition ship MV Hondius has raised fresh questions about cruise safety, traveler awareness, and medical preparedness during remote voyages.

People.com

90-Second Read: Passenger Evacuated from Hantavirus-Hit Cruise Ship Tests Positive for Disease in Spain

May 26, 6:53 AM EDT

A Spanish national who was on board the MV Hondius cruise ship has tested positive for Hantavirus over two weeks after being evacuated from the vessel. They are the second Spaniard from the ship to test positive for the virus, CNN reported, while the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control data suggests there have now been a total of 11 confirmed and two probable cases. Health authorities around the world have been trying to contain the Hantavirus outbreak in recent weeks after the MV Hondius departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1.

Travel And Tour World

90-Second Read: Spain Hantavirus Cruise Alert Grows as MV Hondius Evacuation Puts Passenger Safety and Travel Health in Focus

May 26, 4:57 AM EDT

Spain Hantavirus cruise alert grows as MV Hondius evacuation raises passenger safety, quarantine and travel health concerns. Spain has intensified its cruise health response after the MV Hondius Hantavirus outbreak placed evacuated passengers under strict monitoring, quarantine and specialist medical supervision in Madrid. This approach places the Spain cruise Hantavirus alert within a controlled public health framework, where every known risk group is monitored instead of allowing uncertainty to spread through the travel system. The Spain cruise Hantavirus alert has become a major travel health issue because the incident involves the Andes virus, a rare Hantavirus linked to a multi-country cluster on board a cruise ship.

Travel And Tour World

90-Second Read: Spain Confirms Hantavirus Cruise Case in Evacuated MV Hondius Passenger as Health Authorities Monitor Rising International Infections and Global Outbreak Risks

May 25, 5:05 PM EDT

Hantavirus Cruise spreads as Spanish passenger from MV Hondius tests positive, prompting health authorities to monitor international infections closely. Spain has become the centre of international attention as the Dutch-flagged expedition vessel, MV Hondius, sparked a rare and deadly Hantavirus cruise outbreak. The Andes Hantavirus presents severe health risks, particularly in expedition cruise settings. Passengers evacuated to Spanish hospitals are now under a strict 42-day quarantine after multiple confirmed infections and fatalities.

90-Second Read: Spain reports new Hantavirus case linked to Madrid hospital

May 25, 4:16 PM EDT

RECOMMENDED STORIES Why does Spain want EU states to keep control over blocking foreign telecom providers? On May 11, Spain's health minister announced that one Spanish passenger aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship 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 Guardian

90-Second Read: Ebola and Hantavirus outbreaks prompt raft of conspiracy theories in divided US

May 25, 8:01 AM EDT

Mikki Willis, who made the film Plandemic, about the conspiracy theory that the Covid pandemic was planned, said that "they are … gonna try this again" with Hantavirus. Middle Ages historian Thomas Asbridge, author of The Black Death, argues that the response to Hantavirus, Ebola, Covid and the 14th century plague share common characteristics. We're absolutely right to be alarmed and cautious about Ebola and Hantavirus. In the upside-down world of conspiracy theories it could be a bioweapon, a financial plot, or a scheme to extract national resources.

Travel And Tour World

90-Second Read: Hantavirus Cruise Travel Advisory Sparks Fresh Health Concerns for Antarctica and South America Expedition Travelers

May 24, 4:04 PM EDT

Travelers planning South America and Antarctic cruises are urged to review Hantavirus safety precautions after a reported onboard health incident. Health specialists reportedly suspected a Hantavirus infection connected to the Andes strain, a virus previously identified in parts of South America. Travelers returning from expedition cruises should also inform healthcare providers about their recent travel history. Passengers booking these cruises are now being advised to carefully review travel insurance policies, onboard medical services, emergency evacuation procedures, and destination-specific health guidance before departure.

Travel And Tour World

90-Second Read: Cruise Travelers on Alert After Rare Hantavirus Outbreak Sparks New Health Questions for International Voyages in 2026

May 23, 4:17 PM EDT

A rare Hantavirus outbreak connected to an expedition cruise has drawn international attention and triggered fresh discussions about cruise health safety among global travelers. Several travelers reportedly became ill after the voyage, leading health authorities to launch monitoring and quarantine measures. Health experts also noted that this particular Hantavirus strain has shown limited human-to-human transmission in rare cases involving close contact. The outbreak involved passengers aboard an expedition cruise operating in South America.

NL Times

90-Second Read: New Hantavirus infection confirmed in Hondius crew member isolated in Netherlands

May 23, 12:55 PM EDT

A new Hantavirus infection tied to a cruise ship outbreak has been confirmed in a crew member who was repatriated to the Netherlands and is now in isolation, the World Health Organization (WHO) said. The infection was confirmed through laboratory testing conducted by RIVM and Erasmus MC, which carries out weekly testing of all quarantined individuals connected to the outbreak. The infected crew member had reportedly been in close contact with sick individuals aboard the vessel before disembarking in Tenerife and being transported to the Netherlands.

bastillepost.com

90-Second Read: Hantavirus cases linked to cruise ship rise to 12 after crew member tests positive: WHO

May 22, 1:03 PM EDT

The cruise, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, departed from Argentina on April 1, carrying around 150 passengers and crew members from more than 20 countries. The ship arrived at the Dutch port city of Rotterdam on Monday for disinfection, ending a voyage that had drawn the attention of international health authorities over Hantavirus infections on board. Hantavirus cases linked to cruise ship rise to 12 after crew member tests positive: WHO Tokyo stocks rose Friday, with the benchmark Nikkei stock index ending at a fresh record high, buoyed by optimism over a settlement in the Middle East conflict. Speaking at a press briefing in Geneva, Tedros said the Netherlands had confirmed an additional case involving a crew member who disembarked in Tenerife, Spain, was repatriated to the Netherlands and has been isolating since then.

Al Jazeera

90-Second Read: WHO says 12th person infected with Hantavirus detected in the Netherlands

May 22, 12:40 PM EDT

The World Health Organization has urged countries to continue monitoring passengers for Hantavirus after a case was detected among a Dutch crew member of the ship at the centre of the outbreak. The Andes virus has been detected in one person who was in quarantine in the Netherlands. While rodents spread Hantavirus, the Andes strain is the only known strain capable of spreading from human to human.

Medical Xpress

90-Second Read: How does Andes Hantavirus spread between people?

May 22, 7:40 AM EDT

The cause of his death, while initially unclear, was determined to be Andes Hantavirus (ANDV), which he picked up prior to boarding the ship. When Hantaviruses do spill over into humans, and, in the case of ANDV, have the potential to spread between them, it would be valuable to have preventive and therapeutic tools at the ready to deal with them. Hantaviruses, which cause sporadic outbreaks, tend to fall under the radar compared to other more widespread public health threats. As of this writing, there have been 10 reported cases of ANDV infection from the ship, resulting in three deaths.

World Health Organization (WHO)

90-Second Read: Public health in action: from detection to response – how International Health Regulations (2005) guided response to Hantavirus outbreak

May 22, 4:26 AM EDT

The complexities of the Hantavirus cluster detected on a cruise ship demonstrate why the IHR are the backbone of international outbreak coordination and response, underlining the importance of global cooperation and solidarity in tackling health threats that know no borders. Contact tracing During travel-related outbreaks, WHO and countries support international contact tracing through IHR coordination, linking clinical detection to public health follow-up across borders. During the Hantavirus response, the IHR NFP for the Netherlands and the conveyance operator informed 12 countries whose nationals had disembarked earlier at Saint Helena, as well as the public through the WHO Disease Outbreak News portal. In a world where people can cross borders in minutes, an infectious disease event, such as the cluster of Hantavirus cases on the MV Hondius cruise ship, can quickly become a multi-country challenge.

Virological

90-Second Read: Molecular evolutionary analysis of the current MV Hondius Andes virus outbreak

May 21, 11:05 AM EDT

We analysed the S, M and L segment consensus sequences from the current MV Hondius-associated Andes virus outbreak available as of 17 May 2026. We downloaded Andes virus sequences for the S, M and L genome segments from ENA, Pathoplexus and GenBank, including eight outbreak-associated sequences available as of 17 May 2026 : PP_006WANE.2 ( WANE.2 ) was excluded because it was recently revoked from Pathoplexus. Manually reconstructed mutation tree of the eight available outbreak-associated Andes virus sequences as of 17 May 2026. As of 19 May 2026, the sampled outbreak diversity is compatible with PP_006WDKH.1 as the root of the current outbreak.

Yahoo News Malaysia

90-Second Read: Baseless Hantavirus 'scamdemic' claims cite unrelated Australia lab incident

May 21, 5:00 AM EDT

The global scare prompted by a deadly Hantavirus outbreak aboard an Atlantic cruise ship has revived Covid-era falsehoods, including posts baselessly linking the rare outbreak to 2024 reports of an Au... Similar claims rocketed in Canada -- and in languages such as Dutch -- with some suggesting the Australian laboratory incident proves the recent Hantavirus outbreak was an " engineered release ". According to the WHO, a total of 10 Hantavirus cases have been reported in the cruise ship outbreak, including three deaths as of May 15 ( archived link ). Covid-style misinformation resurged when three passengers of the MV Hondius, travelling from Argentina to Cape Verde, died from Hantavirus -- for which no vaccines nor specific treatments currently exist ( archived link ).

The Foothills Focus

90-Second Read: Hantavirus in the news

May 21, 3:00 AM EDT

Hantavirus news is usually confined to high-risk areas such as Arizona and New Mexico and unusual outbreaks like that in Yosemite National Park in 2012. The cruise ship MV Hondius has been identified as the source of the recent Hantavirus outbreak. Though the risk of a broad spread in the U.S. is "considered extremely unlikely at this time," the CDC issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) advisory on Hantavirus urging clinicians across the country to be aware of possible imported cases.

DW.com

90-Second Read: What is Hantavirus?

May 20, 5:48 PM EDT

On a cruise ship sailing from Argentina to Cape Verde, three passengers, a Dutch couple and a German woman, have died following a suspected Hantavirus outbreak. The World Health Organization ( WHO ) estimates a total of eight Hantavirus cases, three of which have been confirmed so far. Hantaviruses have been known in Germany for many years, with between 200 and 3,000 cases typically reported annually. Three people have died on a cruise ship in the Atlantic, reportedly from Hantavirus.

Yahoo

90-Second Read: Three people exposed to Hantavirus remain at KU Hospital for observation

May 20, 5:34 PM EDT

Three people exposed to the Andes strain of Hantavirus remain at the University of Kansas Hospital for continued observation KANSAS CITY, Mo. Kansas City students chosen for FIFA World Cup Player Escort Program KDHE said the three individuals remain at KU Hospital in Kansas City, Kansas, for continued observation. The KDHE said at this time, there are no confirmed cases of the Andes Hantavirus in Kansas and the risk to the general public from the Andes virus remains extremely low.

AP News

90-Second Read: France says cruise ship Andes virus matches known South American viruses

May 20, 4:26 PM EDT

France's Pasteur Institute has fully sequenced the Andes virus found in a French passenger from the MV Hondius cruise ship. Pasteur said genomic analysis confirmed that the virus found in the French passenger matched the virus detected in other cases aboard the ship and closely resembled known Andes virus samples circulating in South America. Pasteur said the viruses detected in patients from the ship were identical to each other and about 97% similar to some Andes viruses circulating in South America, including those identified in rodents.

WIRED

90-Second Read: How Wet Weather in Argentina Helped Fuel the Cruise Ship Hantavirus Outbreak

May 20, 1:59 PM EDT

The Hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship has created a global public health crisis. Health officials have reported 101 confirmed cases, most concentrated in central Argentina and associated with the Lechiguanas strain of the virus transmitted by Oligoryzomys flavescens, double the amount of the previous 12-month period. In the Pampas region, including central Argentina and parts of Uruguay, rising humidity, milder winters, longer warm seasons, and heavier rainfall are creating conditions that favor rodent survival, reproduction, and the spread of Hantavirus. Across the Southern Cone, researchers have long associated wetter years with explosive rodent population booms, known locally as ratadas, that can amplify Hantavirus transmission.

Medical Xpress

90-Second Read: Argentines hunting for source of Hantavirus outbreak trap rats in southernmost city

May 20, 5:50 AM EDT

The state-backed Malbrán Institute, Argentina's leading research center for infectious diseases, said the team would repeat the routine for the next three days before returning with the samples to the institute's main Buenos Aires laboratory to test for Hantavirus. But provincial officials further north in Patagonia where the Hantavirus is endemic insist that the first known victims of the outbreak, a Dutch couple passionate about birds, didn't visit during the window in which it is believed they got infected. Adamant that tourism-dependent Tierra del Fuego isn't the source of the cruise ship outbreak, health authorities here say they welcome a broader objective of the investigation: figuring out if their province has Hantavirus at all at a time of global warming.

NDTV

90-Second Read: Argentina Authorities Trap Rats In Ushuaia, Hunt For Hantavirus Outbreak Source

May 20, 12:34 AM EDT

NBC News

90-Second Read: Argentines hunting for source of Hantavirus outbreak trap rats in southernmost city

May 19, 5:30 PM EDT

The Seattle Times

90-Second Read: Argentines hunting for source of Hantavirus outbreak trap rats in southernmost city

May 19, 4:27 PM EDT

Argentine investigators searching for the source of a deadly Hantavirus outbreak on a cruise last month were trapping rodents in the forests surrounding the southernmost city of Ushuaia. But provincial officials further north in Patagonia where the Hantavirus is endemic insist that the first known victims of the outbreak, a Dutch couple passionate about birds, didn't visit during the window in which it is believed they got infected. Adamant that tourism-dependent Tierra del Fuego isn't the source of the cruise ship outbreak, health authorities here say they welcome a broader objective of the investigation: figuring out if their province has Hantavirus at all at a time of global warming. The state-backed Malbrán Institute, Argentina's leading research center for infectious diseases, said the team would repeat the routine for the next three days before returning with the samples to the institute's main Buenos Aires laboratory to test for Hantavirus.

AP News

90-Second Read: Argentines hunting for source of Hantavirus outbreak trap rats in southernmost city

May 19, 4:26 PM EDT

Argentine investigators searching for the source of a deadly Hantavirus outbreak on a cruise last month were trapping rodents in the forests surrounding the southernmost city of Ushuaia. Caivano) Argentine scientists collect traps placed at different points across Ushuaia, Argentina, Tuesday, May 19, 2026, as part of an investigation for the source of the Hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship. Adamant that tourism-dependent Tierra del Fuego isn't the source of the cruise ship outbreak, health authorities here say they welcome a broader objective of the investigation: figuring out if their province has Hantavirus at all at a time of global warming. The state-backed Malbrán Institute, Argentina's leading research center for infectious diseases, said the team would repeat the routine for the next three days before returning with the samples to the institute's main Buenos Aires laboratory to test for Hantavirus.

France 24

90-Second Read: Argentine researchers collect rodents for Hantavirus tests

May 19, 2:53 PM EDT

Argentine scientists on Tuesday began collecting rodents in the woods around Ushuaia to search for carriers of Hantavirus in the area from which the virus-stricken MV Hondius set sail. The samples will be tested for the Andes train of Hantavirus detected in several of the Hondius's passengers -- the only known strain to spread between people. The Hantavirus outbreak aboard the Hondius, which set sail from Ushuaia on April 1, triggered a global health scare.

WLRN

90-Second Read: Argentina's icy outpost at the end of the world fears the Hantavirus will chill tourism

May 19, 9:00 AM EDT

The city of Ushuaia in Argentina, which bills itself as the "end of the world," has found itself at the center of a global media storm involving a deadly Hantavirus outbreak on a cruise that departed from its port. Several travel agents said that fears about the Andes variant of the Hantavirus have already caused some Americans and Europeans to scrap cruise bookings for next season. The start of field work on Monday to detect the possible presence of the Hantavirus in a province that has never registered a case of it comes nearly two weeks after Argentina's Health Ministry first announced the scientists would travel. The wind-lashed city that bills itself as the "end of the world" now fears for its future.

Dallas News

90-Second Read: Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship docks in the Netherlands for disinfection

May 18, 11:18 PM EDT

A cruise ship hit by a deadly Hantavirus outbreak has docked at the Dutch port of Rotterdam for disinfection. The Hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius is the first known case on a cruise ship. The Paris public hospital authority said Monday that the French cruise passenger being treated for Hantavirus is not in fact treated with an artificial lung, but remains in intensive care. After everyone on board has disembarked, the ship will be decontaminated based on Dutch public health guidelines, a process that will take about three days, according to van Duijnhoven.

Dallas News

90-Second Read: Argentina's icy outpost at the end of the world fears the Hantavirus will chill tourism

May 18, 11:18 PM EDT

The city of Ushuaia in Argentina, which bills itself as the "end of the world," has found itself at the center of a global media storm involving a deadly Hantavirus outbreak on a cruise that... Several travel agents said that fears about the Andes variant of the Hantavirus have already caused some Americans and Europeans to scrap cruise bookings for next season. Monday's start of field work to detect the possible presence of the Hantavirus in a province that has never registered a case of it comes nearly two weeks after Argentina's Health Ministry first announced the scientists would travel. The wind-lashed city that bills itself as the "end of the world" now fears for its future.

France 24

90-Second Read: Argentine scientists lay first traps in Hantavirus hunt

May 18, 8:31 PM EDT

Scientists attempting to determine whether or not Hantavirus is present in Argentina's Ushuaia on Monday laid the very first traps to catch rodents potentially carrying the disease, AFP journalists observed. The MV Hondius cruise ship, where a Hantavirus outbreak on board killed three people and triggered a global health scare, set sail from the city at Argentina's southernmost tip on April 1. Provincial officials insist that Tierra del Fuego has not had a case of Hantavirus since its reporting became mandatory 30 years ago -- unlike in provinces to the north, such as Rio Negro and Chubut. Beginning Monday, biologists from Buenos Aires are spending several days setting traps at various locations on the southern island of Tierra del Fuego to analyze whether the captured rodents carry the Andes strain of the virus, the only one known to spread between people.

Medical Xpress

90-Second Read: Ebola and Hantavirus outbreaks sign of our 'dangerous' times: WHO

May 18, 6:20 PM EDT

The deadly Hantavirus and Ebola outbreaks are only the latest crises in "dangerous and divisive" times, the World Health Organization chief said Monday. Currently, "defending common sense has become a form of rebellion," he charged, lamenting an ongoing "pandemic of egoism." Th 2026 World Health Assembly comes after a particularly difficult year for WHO, weakened by the announced US withdrawal and deep funding cuts. The WHO's budget has been reduced by around 21%, or nearly one billion dollars. On the first day of the assembly, countries refused once again to add the thorny issue of a request from Taiwan, which China claims is part of its territory, to regain the observer status it held between 2009 and 2016.

Yahoo

90-Second Read: WHO kicks off annual assembly amid Hantavirus, Ebola crises

May 18, 7:11 AM EDT

The World Health Organization opened a meeting of global health ministers Monday amid concern over deadly Hantavirus and Ebola outbreaks and uncertainty over announced US and Argentinian withdrawals.W... While the rare Hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship that has gripped global attention is not officially on the agenda, it is expected to feature prominently in discussions, alongside the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. And the Hantavirus crisis provided "a clear illustration of why the world needs an effective, trusted, impartial, reliably-funded WHO", she added.

KOCO

90-Second Read: Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship docks in the Netherlands after deadly outbreak

May 18, 6:20 AM EDT

The outbreak on the ship has reached at least 11 cases, nine of which have been confirmed. Some two dozen passengers and crew are already in quarantine in the Netherlands after arriving in the country on a series of flights over the previous two weeks. The Hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius is the first known case on a cruise ship. The MV Hondius was carrying 25 crew members and two medical personnel as it reached Rotterdam on Monday morning, after all the passengers disembarked elsewhere.

Al Jazeera

90-Second Read: Hantavirus-hit cruise ship docks in the Netherlands

May 18, 6:07 AM EDT

A cruise ship hit by a deadly Hantavirus outbreak has docked in the Netherlands for disinfection. Late Sunday, the WHO said it was maintaining its assessment of the Hantavirus outbreak as "low risk". The Hantavirus outbreak on Hondius is the first known case on a cruise ship. Three passengers of the ship died, including a Dutch couple who health officials believe were the first exposed to the virus while visiting South America.

CBS News

90-Second Read: Hantavirus-hit cruise ship arrives in Netherlands

May 18, 5:44 AM EDT

The cruise ship hit by a deadly Hantavirus outbreak has docked at the Dutch port of Rotterdam for disinfection, wrapping up a troubled journey that put world health authorities on alert. The outbreak on the ship has reached at least 11 cases, nine of which have been confirmed. Crew members who are unable to return home will be quarantined in the Netherlands, the Dutch health ministry said last week. The Public Health Agency of Canada said one of the four Canadians in isolation after leaving the ship tested positive Sunday and it would share information on the case with the World Health Organization.

Medical Xpress

90-Second Read: WHO kicks off annual assembly amid Hantavirus, Ebola crises

May 18, 5:10 AM EDT

World Health Organization member states gather for their annual meeting in Geneva Monday amid concern over deadly Hantavirus and Ebola outbreaks and uncertainty over announced US and Argentinian withdrawals. While the rare Hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship that has gripped global attention is not officially on the agenda, it is expected to feature prominently in the discussions, as is the fresh Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. And the Hantavirus crisis provided "a clear illustration of why the world needs an effective, trusted, impartial, reliably-funded WHO," she added. The situation is "still fragile, but they've been successful in mobilizing most of the funds" required for the next two years, Surie Moon, co-director of the Global Health Centre at the Geneva Graduate Institute, told AFP.

WBRC

90-Second Read: Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship docks in the Netherlands

May 18, 4:49 AM EDT

A cruise ship hit by a deadly Hantavirus outbreak has docked in the Netherlands for disinfection. During the outbreak, three passengers who had been aboard the ship died, including a Dutch couple who health officials believe were the first exposed to the virus while visiting South America. The Hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius is the first known case on a cruise ship. The outbreak on the ship has reached at least 11 cases, nine of which have been confirmed.

AOL.com

90-Second Read: Cruise ship hit by Hantavirus outbreak arrives in Netherlands for disinfection as it wraps up troubled journey

May 18, 4:47 AM EDT

The outbreak has led to at least 11 reported cases, nine confirmed. Three passengers died, including a Dutch couple believed by health officials to have been initially exposed in South America. The Hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius is the first known case on a cruise ship.

kare11.com

90-Second Read: Argentina's icy outpost at the end of the world fears the Hantavirus will chill tourism

May 18, 3:01 AM EDT

Remote Ushuaia in Argentina, known as the southernmost city on earth, has found itself at the center of a global media storm involving the deadly Hantavirus... Several travel agents said that fears about the Andes variant of the Hantavirus have already caused some Americans and Europeans to scrap cruise bookings for next season. Scientists from a government research institute have yet to arrive in Ushuaia more than two weeks after Argentina's Health Ministry said it would send them to test rodents in the province, which has never registered a case of the Hantavirus. The wind-lashed city that bills itself as the "end of the world" now fears for its future.

Arab News

90-Second Read: WHO kicks off annual assembly amid Hantavirus, Ebola crises

May 18, 1:46 AM EDT

While the rare Hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship that has gripped global attention is not officially on the agenda, it is expected to feature prominently in the discussions, as is the fresh Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. And the Hantavirus crisis provided "a clear illustration of why the world needs an effective, trusted, impartial, reliably-funded WHO," she added. When WHO's executive board met in January, Israel submitted a resolution to approve Argentina's withdrawal, something countries are expected to discuss during the assembly, but not a word was said about the US leaving.

New York Post

90-Second Read: American who was on doomed MV Hondius cruise reveals what it's like under 42-day Hantavirus quarantine

May 17, 10:43 PM EDT

One of the Americans who was aboard the cruise doomed by a deadly Hantavirus outbreak gave an inside look at what the strict 42-day isolation period inside the country's top quarantine hospital is like and recalled the final days of the ill-fated voyage. The MV Hondius was docked in Argentina when one of the passengers, Leo Schilperoord, 69, was found to have contracted what is believed to be an Andes strain of the Hantavirus during his pursuit of rare birds in South America prior to the trip. At least one American initially tested positive for the Hantavirus, with a second showing mild symptoms, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

ABC7 Chicago

90-Second Read: Canada Hantavirus update: 1 of 4 who went home from cruise ship hit with Hantavirus outbreak tests positive, health agency says

May 17, 2:43 PM EDT

Three have died since the Hantavirus outbreak began on cruise ship MV Hondius. VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Canada's national health agency Sunday confirmed that one of four Canadians who returned home from a cruise ship hit with a Hantavirus outbreak has tested positive for the virus. The overall risk to the general population in Canada from the Andes Hantavirus outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship remains low at this time.

Geneva Solutions

90-Second Read: Hantavirus: what happens when countries walk away from WHO

May 17, 11:31 AM EDT

The Dutch cruise ship has been at the centre of a Hantavirus outbreak that has claimed the lives of three people and left eight confirmed cases so far. The health minister accused the UN leader of politicising the Hantavirus outbreak and reaffirmed his country's decision to leave. Against this backdrop, the Hantavirus may become a litmus test for the organisation as it raises a fundamental question about what international health cooperation looks like when the institutions designed to facilitate it are called into question. As the World Health Assembly this week marks the WHO exits of the United States and Argentina, a deadly outbreak at sea raises questions about whether international health cooperation can hold despite political fractures.

IFLScience

90-Second Read: WHO Updates Hantavirus Advice, Stressing There’s No Reason To Expect A Pandemic

May 16, 8:32 AM EDT

As another person is placed on a ventilator, the World Health Organization (WHO) is trying to strike the right balance in preventing complacency about the Hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius without adding fuel to fear-mongering about a COVID-19-like pandemic. We would expect more cases because, as you may remember, the index case, the first case in the ship, was on 6 April … [and] there was a lot of interaction, actually, with the passengers. The reason human Hantavirus cases are rare is that most forms of the disease don't spread from human to human, only from rat to human through droppings, saliva or urine. The MV Hondius, onboard which an outbreak of Andean Hantavirus began on April 6, docked at Tenerife in the Canary Islands on Sunday 10 May, against the objections of the local government.

FOX 13 Seattle

90-Second Read: 4th King County, WA resident being monitored for Andes Hantavirus

May 15, 8:35 PM EDT

A fourth King County resident is being monitored for the Andes Hantavirus after it was discovered they were aboard a flight with someone linked to the cruise ship where the outbreak originated. Health officials announced earlier this week they were monitoring three other residents, including two people who sat near a sick cruise ship passenger on a flight, and another who was on board the MV Hondius cruise ship. A Chelan County resident recently tested positive for the more common "Sin Nombre" Hantavirus strain, as the state typically sees a few cases each year. Public Health, Seattle and King County announced Friday that an individual from King County was on a flight from Johannesburg to Amsterdam alongside an infected passenger from the MV Hondius cruise ship.

NewsNation

90-Second Read: Hantavirus has not mutated to be more transmissible: WHO

May 15, 7:55 PM EDT

Officials with the World Health Organization say genetic sequencing has not revealed major changes to the Andes Hantavirus. The cruise ship MV Hondius, which had three passengers die from Hantavirus last month and eight more reported cases, arrived on Sunday May 10 in Tenerife, where the remaining passengers will be repatriated to their respective countries. That news comes amid fears of a broader outbreak of the Andes Hantavirus, which has no cure and can be fatal.

NewsNation

90-Second Read: WHO officials explain ‘high risk’ Hantavirus classification

May 15, 5:06 PM EDT

The MV Hondius ship was on a cruise from Argentina to the Antarctic and then to several isolated islands in the South Atlantic Ocean when the Hantavirus outbreak was identified. Six passengers from a cruise ship hit by a Hantavirus outbreak arrived Friday in Australia for a quarantine expected to last at least three weeks. Australian Health Minister Mark Butler said the government would implement one of the world's strongest quarantine responses to the outbreak.

MedPage Today

90-Second Read: Hantavirus Strain in Outbreak Hasn't Become More Transmissible, WHO Says

May 15, 3:11 PM EDT

The outbreak aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship has led to 10 cases of Hantavirus disease -- including eight laboratory-confirmed cases and two probable cases -- and three deaths. The Andes virus that fueled the outbreak is the only Hantavirus strain that can be transmitted person to person. Case reports of Hantavirus being detected years after infection don't necessarily mean a person remains infectious, cautioned Abdi Mahamud, the WHO's director for health emergency alert and response operations.

Al Jazeera

90-Second Read: WHO confirms 10 global Hantavirus cases, Hondius crew remain symptom-free

May 15, 2:49 PM EDT

World Health Organization has reiterated that the risk of Hantavirus spreading is 'low'. There are currently 10 global cases of Hantavirus, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said, lowering its earlier figure of 11 after a person who was thought to have contracted Hantavirus was confirmed to be negative. The captain and the ship's 26-member crew remain on board and continue to be monitored, with Tedros confirming that there are currently no symptomatic individuals on board.

Forbes

90-Second Read: 4 Urgent Questions After The WHO Emergency Hantavirus Meeting

May 15, 11:52 AM EDT

A 3-hour WHO Hantavirus emergency Zoom call was held this morning, providing outbreak analysis. As a reminder, every year in the US more than 30 people will be infected by Hantavirus Sin Nombre virus (SNV ) and, it was the cause of death for Gene Hackman's wife. But what we are watching now is an outbreak of another type of Hanta, Hantavirus Andes (ANDV). As of this week, confirmed and probable cases linked to the ship span 8 countries, with 11 people falling ill and three deaths.

The BayNet

90-Second Read: Hantavirus Update: Two Maryland Residents Being Monitored Who Were Not On Affected Cruise Ship

May 15, 9:32 AM EDT

The residents were not on the M/V Hondius cruise ship that reported the Hantavirus outbreak earlier this month, but were on a flight that briefly included a cruise ship passenger. The Maryland Department of Health did not include any additional information about the individuals to protect their privacy and said the risk of exposure remains "very low." There have been no confirmed cases of Hantavirus in Maryland since 2019. As of a May 13 report from the World Health Organization, a total of 11 cases and three deaths from the cruise ship have been reported.

ABC7 Los Angeles

90-Second Read: Can I get Hantavirus from my pet? Here's what pet owners should know

May 15, 6:00 AM EDT

The recent headlines about illnesses and deaths tied to possible Hantavirus exposure have left some pet owners wondering whether the virus can be spread through the furry creature sleeping on their couch or curled up on their lap. While cats and dogs can be infected with the Hantavirus, they generally don't have symptoms and experts say they are highly unlikely to infect their owners. Hantavirus remain rare and scattered in the U.S., according to the CDC, with most cases reported in California, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona.

Medical Xpress

90-Second Read: What do Argentine scientists know about Hantavirus so far?

May 15, 5:20 AM EDT

The Andes strain of Hantavirus typically circulates via rodents, but human-to-human transmission such as the outbreak aboard the MV Hondius is not impossible either. AFP breaks down what Argentine scientists know so far about the rare respiratory disease and how it spreads. During the current epidemiological season, which runs from June to June each year, Argentina has recorded 102 Hantavirus cases, almost double the 57 reported in the same period the previous year. In the known cases of human-to-human Hantavirus transmission, the only rodent involved is the one that caused the first infection.

CNN

90-Second Read: Penile implant specialist with history of far-right comments led Hantavirus presser

May 15, 5:00 AM EDT

In comments made on a podcast he hosted while running for Alabama state Senate in 2022, Christine questioned the legitimacy of the 2020 election. Christine's podcast, called "Common Sense," focused on abortion, Covid restrictions, transgender rights, religion and what he described as "wokeism" in medicine and government. In one episode titled, "When Healthcare is Used Against You," from October 2022, Christine argued the pandemic had been used by the government to control Americans and influence the outcome of the 2020 election. A CNN review of archived podcast episodes, social media posts and radio appearances found that Christine repeatedly framed public health institutions, the federal government and pandemic-era policies as tools used to target conservatives and religious Americans.

CIDRAP

90-Second Read: Osterholm on Hantavirus: We’re missing ‘main point of this outbreak’

May 14, 5:17 PM EDT

In 1996 there was an outbreak involving 16 people, in 2002 we saw an outbreak with 13 linked cases, and there were three linked cases in 2014. Michael Osterholm: There have been over 100 cases of Hantavirus in Argentina this past year and no reports of person-to-person transmission. Public health staff from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will meet passengers in Tenerife, Spain as they deboard a cruise ship that has been at the center of a Hantavirus outbreak. We have a model for that with SARS [severe acute respiratory syndrome] and MERS [Middle East respiratory syndrome], a handful of cases who really drove the activity in a given outbreak.

World Health Organization (WHO)

90-Second Read: Follow-up message by the WHO Director-General to the people of Tenerife regarding the Hantavirus response

May 14, 9:56 AM EDT

More than 120 people from 23 countries have safely disembarked and are now being cared for and monitored by public health professionals while in transit or upon arrival in their home countries. They left carrying something they could not have expected to find in Tenerife: the dignity of being cared for by strangers from your community, and people around the world, who chose to help. With profound respect, admiration and gratitude, The statement has been corrected to reflect that the three people confirmed to have died as a result of the Hantavirus outbreak did not all die on the ship. What happened here in Tenerife was something rarer than competence.

The Rochester Post (.gov)

90-Second Read: New Hampshire DHHS Issues Statement on MV Hondius Hantavirus Outbreak

May 14, 7:10 AM EDT

On average, the United States identifies 30 people with Hantavirus every year. The last case of Hantavirus identified in a New Hampshire resident was in 2019 and thought to be acquired through travel. The specific Hantavirus that caused the cruise ship outbreak is called the Andes virus, which is known to be able to spread from person to person in situations involving close, prolonged contact with a person who is sick with the disease.

Flatwater Free Press

90-Second Read: Flatwater Explains: Why are Hantavirus patients in Omaha?

May 14, 6:02 AM EDT

As of Wednesday, public health officials were monitoring 16 of the patients in the Quarantine Unit, including one who had previously tested positive. Unlike more common Hantavirus strains that are only spread by rodents, this particular type of virus, known as Andes Hantavirus, can spread between people in close contact. Along with the 20-bed National Quarantine Unit, Nebraska still has a dedicated biocontainment unit with 10 beds to isolate and treat patients who are sick with a high-risk infectious disease. The unit saw its first patients in 2014 when Americans in West Africa needed to be medically evacuated after being infected with Ebola.

KCTV

90-Second Read: Three Kansans possibly exposed to Hantavirus under observation at KU Hospital

May 13, 5:58 PM EDT

On Tuesday, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) shared that it is monitoring three people who may have been exposed to Hantavirus. The KDHE said all three individuals with a high-risk exposure have been transported to the University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, Kansas, for observation. KCTV5 reached out to some of the biggest counties throughout the state to see if their health departments are currently monitoring the Hantavirus.

Medical Xpress

90-Second Read: 'No indication' Andes strain of Hantavirus has mutated: EU agency

May 13, 4:40 PM EDT

The European Union's health agency ECDC said Wednesday there was nothing to suggest that the Andes strain of Hantavirus had mutated following a deadly outbreak of the illness on a cruise ship. The deaths of three passengers from a rare Hantavirus outbreak on a cruise from Argentina to Cape Verde has sparked international alarm. Laboratory testing in South Africa and Switzerland confirmed the virus to be the Andes strain, the only Hantavirus strain known to pass between humans. Seven other passengers are confirmed to have the virus, including a French woman in a critical condition, while an eighth case is considered "probable," according to an AFP tally.

Forbes

90-Second Read: Americans All Negative For Hantavirus, French Patient Critically Ill (Live Updates)

May 13, 9:02 AM EDT

Spanish officials confirm that after testing positive once for Hantavirus, the American now known to be Kornfield has since tested negative twice for the disease, meaning no Americans are among the nine confirmed cases of the illness. A French patient confirmed to have the Hantavirus is now critically ill with life-threatening heart and lung problems, a doctor at her Paris hospital confirms. Officials clarify an earlier statement about an American patient who tested "mildly positive" for Hantavirus, explaining the person was tested twice for the disease with a PCR molecular test and got one positive and one negative result.

WIRED

90-Second Read: Inside the Race to Develop a Test for the Rare Andes Hantavirus

May 13, 7:30 AM EDT

As passengers return to the US from the cruise that saw a rare Hantavirus outbreak, much of the country is lacking a basic public health tool: a test to diagnose the illness in the earliest stages of infection. In just a few days, a lab at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha developed its own diagnostic test for the Andes virus in anticipation of receiving 16 American passengers from the ship. They called a lab in California, a state that has previously seen Hantavirus cases, but their test was for a specific strain found in the US. He learned that the CDC has the ability to run a serological test, which looks for the presence of Hantavirus antibodies.

CBS News

90-Second Read: Minnesota health department monitoring 1 who may have been exposed to Hantavirus overseas

May 12, 4:57 PM EDT

The Minnesota Department of Health said Tuesday afternoon that it is monitoring a person who was potentially exposed to someone who tested positive for Hantavirus aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship. The department said in a statement that the person they're monitoring was overseas when they were possibly exposed to the individual who tested positive. Health officials around the world are monitoring the outbreak, which has claimed three lives.

NBC News

90-Second Read: Hantavirus in the U.S.: How easily does the Andes strain spread?

May 12, 8:12 AM EDT

At least 11 passengers from the MV Hondius cruise ship are reported to have the Andes strain of Hantavirus. The latest confirmed cases are all among people who had direct contact with other patients who were on the ship, although concerns about how easily, or not, the Andes strain spreads are growing. Only one of the dozens of Hantavirus strains is known to spread among people: the Andes strain. Andes is the only type of Hantavirus that can pass from person to person.

The Guardian

90-Second Read: WHO head tells countries to prepare for more Hantavirus cases

May 12, 7:58 AM EDT

Although usually spread by wild rodents, Hantavirus can be transmitted person-to-person in rare cases of close contact. The Spanish health ministry said that one of the 14 Spaniards evacuated from the ship and put in quarantine at a military hospital in Madrid had tested positive for Hantavirus and was showing symptoms. France's health minister, Stéphanie Rist, said on Tuesday that while it wasn't currently clear whether the Hantavirus strain involved in the outbreak may have mutated, officials were "rather reassured". Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus thanked Spain for the "compassion and solidarity" it had shown by taking in the stricken cruise ship and urged authorities to follow the WHO's advice and recommendations, which include a 42-day quarantine and constant monitoring of high-risk contacts.

vox.com

90-Second Read: Don’t freak out about Hantavirus

May 12, 7:00 AM EDT

While it is possible that the virus was spread from human to human on the ship, the World Health Organization stresses that the worldwide risk level from Hantavirus is low. Bristow spoke with Today, Explained co-host Noel King about the outbreak and what we know about this specific strain of Hantavirus, as well as the US response so far. Hantavirus is actually a family of about 40 different kinds of viruses, and they're primarily spread by coming into contact with the infected feces, urine, or saliva of rodents who are carriers. Eighteen Americans are now back in the United States after being stuck on a cruise ship that was stricken with an outbreak of Hantavirus.

CBS News

90-Second Read: WHO chief says "work not over" after evacuation of Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship

May 12, 6:28 AM EDT

The fate of the MV Hondius has sparked international alarm after three passengers died in an outbreak of the rare virus for which no vaccines or specific treatments exist. Yet health officials have stressed that the global public health risk is low and rejected comparisons to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said it doesn't make sense to sound "a five-alarm fire bell" because the risk to the public from Hantavirus is "much, much lower" than what we saw with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Conversation

90-Second Read: Hantavirus is very different to COVID. Here’s why the ‘Andes virus’ won’t cause the next pandemic

May 11, 10:34 PM EDT

So it's understandable people are concerned that passengers from the MV Hondius need to be quarantined after potential exposure to Andes virus, a rodent-borne Hantavirus. Here's what you need to know about Andes virus, the risk of transmission, and how it's different to the virus that caused COVID. European and Asian Hantaviruses typically cause death in less than 1, 15% of cases, while Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome from American strains, including Andes virus, can reach up to 50%. For many people, news of a virus outbreak on a cruise ship immediately brings back memories of COVID spreading when the Ruby Princess docked in Sydney in March 2020.

The Hill

90-Second Read: Hantavirus outbreak: Who is most at risk of catching the deadly virus?

May 11, 6:01 PM EDT

While Hantavirus respiratory infections may still be rare in the U.S., they can be incredibly deadly. The strain of Hantavirus involved in the recent outbreak on the MV Hondius ship is called Andes virus. Because rodents are the most common vector, people who come into frequent contact with them are at highest risk of catching a Hantavirus. In recent weeks, it's caused even more concern following an outbreak among passengers and crew on a cruise ship.

MS NOW

90-Second Read: Amid growing concerns about Hantavirus, Trump haunted by repeated misjudgments

May 11, 3:25 PM EDT

Last Thursday, during a presidential field trip to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, a reporter asked Donald Trump whether he had received a Hantavirus briefing. Nevertheless, a day later, during another White House Q&A, he added that "very good people" have looked into the threat and concluded that Hantavirus transmission is difficult. Q: What do you say to infectious disease experts who are worried the country isn't prepared to deal with something like Hantavirus because of all the HHS funding and staffing cuts?TRUMP: Doc, you want to answer that?DR OZ: It's just not true. In hindsight, perhaps uprooting and destabilizing the nation's public health infrastructure wasn't such a good idea.

TODAY.com

90-Second Read: I’m a Doctor Who Treated Hantavirus in the 2012 Outbreak. 5 Things People Keep Getting Wrong

May 11, 12:50 PM EDT

Public health officials emphasize Hantavirus rarely spreads between people. However, the type involved in the Hondius outbreak, according to the World Health Organization, is the Andes virus, the only known Hantavirus to spread between people. A 2018 Hantavirus outbreak in Argentina killed 11 people after the disease spread at crowded events, leading to 34 infections. Sometimes, getting a deadly infection may simply start with bad luck, being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Medical Xpress

90-Second Read: Hantavirus crisis: WHO recommendations

May 11, 12:49 PM EDT

A deadly Hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship has spurred global concern over the potential spread of the virus among and from ship evacuees as they head back to their home countries. Here are the World Health Organization's main recommendations to limit the transmission risks and to better protect those exposed to the rare virus, which usually spreads among rodents, and for which there is no vaccine or treatment. Van Kerkhove said that corresponded to the longest likely incubation period of Andes virus, the only Hantavirus strain known to spread between humans, at the heart of the outbreak.

Nebraska Public Media

90-Second Read: Cruise passenger who arrived in Omaha has tested positive for Hantavirus

May 11, 12:18 PM EDT

One passenger who tested positive for the virus, but does not have symptoms, was admitted to the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit for follow-up testing and monitoring. American passengers from a cruise ship that experienced a Hantavirus outbreak arrived at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha early Monday morning as part of a coordinated effort to assess, contain and treat any potential infections. The passengers could be monitored in Omaha for up to 42 days.

FOX 5 Atlanta

90-Second Read: 2 Hantavirus patients headed to Emory Hospital in Atlanta

May 11, 9:57 AM EDT

Emory Healthcare officials provided an update on Monday regarding two patients being monitored in Atlanta after a deadly Hantavirus outbreak on the M/V Hondius cruise ship. Two people who were onboard a cruise ship that experienced a deadly Hantavirus outbreak are being monitored at Emory Hospital in Atlanta. Emory Healthcare officials provided an update on Monday regarding the two Hantavirus patients being treated at the hospital's Serious Communicable Diseases Unit. ATLANTA, Passengers from the M/V Hondius cruise ship are continuing to make their way home following a deadly Hantavirus outbreak tied to the vessel, with several travelers connected to Georgia now under medical monitoring.

EL PAÍS English

90-Second Read: WHO faces deadlock over pandemic treaty amid crisis over Hantavirus outbreak

May 11, 5:28 AM EDT

For Vora, the outbreak's overlap with the diplomatic deadlock in Geneva is not merely symbolic. The Hantavirus outbreak has, however, triggered the International Health Regulations (IHR), the WHO's main instrument for managing cross-border alerts. We all know there will be another pandemic, and right now we are witnessing another worrying outbreak. The next day, health authorities reported several confirmed and suspected cases aboard the Arctic cruise ship MV Hondius, which had departed from Argentina.

KTVU

90-Second Read: Santa Clara health officials monitoring resident who was onboard Hantavirus-stricken cruise

May 10, 9:19 PM EDT

A Santa Clara County resident was among those aboard Hantavirus-stricken MV Hondius, and now public health officials are keeping tabs on the individual. The Santa Clara County Public Health Department said it, in coordination with the California Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is "monitoring and evaluating" the resident who was exposed to the virus while aboard the cruise. State health officials previously revealed that California residents were onboard the ship, but noted that the risk to public health in California is low.

Al Jazeera

90-Second Read: Hantavirus cruise ship evacuations under way in Spain’s Canary Islands

May 10, 4:08 PM EDT

Passengers evacuated from Hantavirus-hit cruise ship in Tenerife as French national develops symptoms on return flight. Passengers from the cruise ship infected with Hantavirus have been flown home on board military and government aircraft after the vessel arrived in Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Hantavirus is usually spread by rodents, but in rare cases, it can be transmitted person-to-person. The cruise operator Oceanwide Expeditions listed 13 Spanish passengers, and one Spanish crew member on board the Dutch-flagged vessel.

AP News

90-Second Read: Spain readies for evacuations as a Hantavirus-hit cruise ship heads for the Canary Islands

May 10, 11:47 AM EDT

Spanish authorities are preparing to receive over 140 passengers and crew from a Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship headed for the Canary Islands. Despite a cruise ship outbreak of a rare rodent-borne illness, global health officials say the risk to the general public remains low because Hantavirus germs do not easily spread between people. Passengers on the the Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship, MV Hondius, watch epidemiologists board the boat in Praia, during their voyage to Spain's port of Tenerife, May 6, 2026. On Friday, the WHO said a flight attendant on a plane briefly boarded by an infected cruise passenger has tested negative for Hantavirus.

Western Mass News

90-Second Read: Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship arrives at Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands

May 10, 2:23 AM EDT

Earlier, officials from the Spanish Health Ministry, the World Health Organization and the cruise company Oceanwide Expeditions had said none of the more than 140 people who were then on the Hondius had shown symptoms of the virus. Three people have died since the outbreak began, and five people who left the ship earlier are infected with Hantavirus. Tedros and Spain's health and interior ministers are supervising the operation in Tenerife. Passengers were evacuated off the MV Hondius following its arrival in Tenerife, the largest island in the Spanish archipelago off the West African coast.

KPTV

90-Second Read: Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship arrives at Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands

May 10, 2:23 AM EDT

fox8live.com

90-Second Read: Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship arrives at Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands

May 10, 2:23 AM EDT

Los Angeles Times

90-Second Read: 'This is not another COVID': WHO seeks to reassure Spanish island as Hantavirus-stricken ship approaches

May 9, 5:21 PM EDT

The head of the World Health Organization is seeking to reassure residents of the Spanish island of Tenerife worried about the anticipated arrival there of a Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship. The current public health risk from Hantavirus remains low. Three people have died since the outbreak, and five passengers who left the ship are infected with Hantavirus. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, along with Spain's Health Minister Monica Garcia and Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska, were due on the island Saturday to coordinate the disembarkation of passengers and some members of the crew.

CBS News

90-Second Read: WHO director arrives in Canary Islands to oversee Hantavirus cruise evacuation: "This disease is not COVID"

May 9, 4:55 PM EDT

More than 100 people from a cruise ship dealing with an outbreak of the rare and deadly Hantavirus are set to be disembarked. Addressing the people of the Canary Islands, where the ship will anchor off the coast of its largest island, the WHO chief said the public's concern is legitimate after what the world experienced in 2020 during the global coronavirus pandemic. Eight people on the ship had confirmed or suspected cases of the Hantavirus and three people have died, the WHO said on Friday.

New York Post

90-Second Read: Hantavirus-infected ship set to arrive in Canary Islands overnight, WHO promises: 'this is not another COVID'

May 9, 3:29 PM EDT

The Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship will not be allowed to dock on the Canary Islands when it approaches the port of Granadilla, Tenerife, Sunday -- the latest twist in a dramatic week-long showdown over the doomed cruise ship. The head of the World Health Organization arrived on the Canary Islands Saturday and attempted to reassure locals petrified about the overnight arrival of the Hantavirus-infected MV Hondius. In January, the country's National Epidemiological Bulletin determined that "with a total of 58 confirmed cases, the country is at the outbreak threshold" for Hantavirus. The agency told doctors in the United States to prepare for potential imported cases of the Hantavirus linked to the rat virus-stricken cruise ship.

The New York Times

90-Second Read: Before Hantavirus Outbreak, the MV Hondius Attracted ‘a Different Type of Traveler’

May 9, 11:12 AM EDT

Former passengers on the MV Hondius say that the ship was made for wildlife expeditions and that the crew took safety very seriously. By Lynsey Chutel Claire Moses and Amelia Nierenberg The MV Hondius, the vessel at the center of a Hantavirus outbreak, is no ordinary cruise ship. None of that was enough to protect the ship from the Hantavirus, a rare family of viruses carried by rodents.

Outbreak News Today

90-Second Read: Andes Hantavirus update

May 9, 10:58 AM EDT

Outbreak linked to MV Hondius According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of 8 May, a total of 8 cases, including 3 deaths (case fatality ratio 38%), have been reported. One case previously reported as suspected has now been reclassified as a non-case after testing negative for Andes (ANDV) virus through specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and serology. Podcast: Andes virus: Outbreak linked to a super-spreader event in Argentina A total of 149 persons embarked the ship at the beginning of the journey, including 88 passengers and 61 crew. The current hypothesis is that some passengers were exposed to ANDV while spending time in Argentina (where ANDV is endemic) before embarking the ship, and may subsequently have transmitted the virus to other passengers onboard.

Live Science

90-Second Read: Hantavirus cruise: WHO Director-General will travel to Tenerife for disembarkment; repatriation flights planned on Sunday and Monday

May 9, 10:33 AM EDT

A cluster of Hantavirus cases struck the Dutch-flagged cruise ship MV Hondius as it traveled across the southern Atlantic, stopping at a number of destinations along the way. In the live social media update on Saturday, Maria Van Kerkhove of the WHO said plans are in place to disembark the remaining passengers and crew from MV Hondius on Sunday, and that repatriation flights are planned to start transporting people home Sunday and Monday. On May 9, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), shared a message with the residents of the Spanish island of Tenerife, where MV Hondius is anticipated to make port Sunday (May 10). We're tracking the cases of Hantavirus associated with the cruise ship MV Hondius and will bring you updates as they arrive.

Backpacker Magazine

90-Second Read: The U.S.'s Last Hantavirus Outbreak Was In a Campground. Should Hikers Worry?

May 9, 10:10 AM EDT

Scott McClelland, an infectious disease specialist, shares what hikers and backpackers should know about Hantavirus. In the past week, an outbreak of Hantavirus on a cruise ship in the south Atlantic has captured the attention of people worldwide. In fact, the U.S.'s most recent notable outbreak happened in a campground in 2012, when 10 people became ill and three died after staying at Yosemite's Curry Village. Scott McClelland, a Seattle-based hiker and specialist in infectious diseases at UW Medicine, says backpackers' risk of contracting Hantavirus is extremely low.

WRAL

90-Second Read: WHO head will oversee evacuation of passengers, crew from Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship

May 9, 7:10 AM EDT

The head of the World Health Organization is seeking to reassure residents of the Spanish island of Tenerife worried about the anticipated arrival there of a Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship. The current public health risk from Hantavirus remains low. Three people have died since the outbreak, and five passengers who left the ship are infected with Hantavirus. But the Andes virus detected in the cruise ship outbreak may be able to spread between people in rare cases.

NBC 5 Chicago

90-Second Read: Is Hantavirus contagious? Here's how it spreads and why Andes virus is different

May 8, 6:06 PM EDT

Countries around the world are preparing to deal with the more than 140 passengers and crew members on board a Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship. An outbreak aboard a cruise ship of a rare rodent-borne illness called Hantavirus has left three passengers dead and sickened others, but how dangerous is it? Typically, Hantavirus doesn't spread from human-to-human but in the case of this outbreak, health officials suspect it may be caused by the one strain that can. Hantavirus is usually spread by the inhalation of contaminated rodent droppings and isn't easily transmitted between people.

CIDRAP

90-Second Read: Cruise ship at center of Hantavirus outbreak to dock in Spain Sunday

May 8, 4:27 PM EDT

Spain is preparing to receive more than 140 passengers and crew members from a cruise ship on which at least eight people became ill and three died due to Hantavirus. This outbreak is caused by the Andes virus, the only known Hantavirus strain to spread from person to person, primarily through prolonged, close contact. Public health staff from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will meet passengers in Tenerife, Spain as they deboard a cruise ship that has been at the center of a Hantavirus outbreak. Public health staff from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will meet the cruise ship in Tenerife and escort American passengers back to the United States aboard a charter flight, CNN reports.