Maya Okafor

Maya turns complex source material into clear, steady context.

Articles using this voice

150 90-Second Reads currently use this editorial voice.

Health Data Management

90-Second Read: What health data execs need to manage an infectious disease response

Jun 22, 3:40 PM EDT

Ebola and Hantavirus outbreaks illustrate the tools and capabilities that must matter to those leading health data management initiatives. When healthcare leaders hear the words "ebola" or "Hantavirus," many assume these are problems for infectious disease specialists, epidemiologists or public health agencies. For health data management leaders, Ebola and Hantavirus offer important lessons that extend far beyond the pathogens themselves.

ScienceDaily

90-Second Read: Ebola and Hantavirus can start like the flu but turn deadly fast

Jun 22, 2:32 AM EDT

Ebola virus disease and Hantavirus have attracted renewed attention in recent weeks because of the serious risks they pose to public health. Each year, approximately 4 to 5 cases are confirmed and reported to public health authorities. The current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo involves Bundibugyo ebolavirus, which has a reported fatality rate of 30% to 50%. Hantavirus, often linked to rodents, can cause severe heart and lung complications and has no specific treatment or vaccine, while certain strains can even spread between people.

ScienceDaily

90-Second Read: Ebola and Hantavirus can start like the flu but turn deadly fast

Jun 22, 2:32 AM EDT

KITV

90-Second Read: RFK Jr. orders passenger from Hantavirus-stricken cruise to remain in quarantine in Nebraska, despite CDC recommendation

Jun 16, 4:52 PM EDT

A woman who was exposed to Hantavirus on the MV Hondius cruise has been ordered by US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Passengers from the MV Hondius arrive in Nebraska on May 11. Some passengers have been willing to stay voluntarily for the entire 42-day quarantine period, but most have left the facility to continue quarantine at home. Passengers who departed were allowed to go if their state health departments agreed to conduct daily symptom monitoring and continuous 24/7 oversight of each person through June 21, and 10 have left.

Inquirer.com

90-Second Read: Kennedy orders woman to stay in Hantavirus quarantine, despite CDC recommendation

Jun 15, 7:29 PM EDT

A cruise ship passenger is still being held at a quarantine facility in Nebraska, against her wishes and against the recommendation of a medical review. Perryman is one of 18 passengers who were on a cruise ship that became the center of a Hantavirus outbreak that killed three people, sickened several others, and unnerved people around the world. Some passengers were allowed to quarantine at home until June 22, or 42 days, provided local health officials committed to having a law enforcement or community health worker monitor them.

The Conversation

90-Second Read: Ebola, Hantavirus, diphtheria: how distrust in health care is fuelling multiple outbreaks across the globe

Jun 14, 4:14 PM EDT

Distrust in health care during infectious disease outbreaks can have devastating consequences. The first half of 2026 has been marked by three different disease outbreaks: Ebola, Hantavirus and, in Australia, diphtheria. These issues have hampered how cases of Ebola are identified, discouraged people to seek timely health care or to hide cases, and have undermined public health interventions. But a common thread has been distrust in health care or a lack of information where misinformation has filled the vacuum.

Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)

90-Second Read: PAHO and partners strengthen surveillance of Hantavirus and other hemorrhagic fevers in the Americas

Jun 12, 3:23 PM EDT

They also examined the status of Hantavirus and other hemorrhagic fevers at the regional and global levels, with emphasis on the need for integrated and coordinated surveillance systems across countries. The activity was part of PAHO's efforts to strengthen regional preparedness for Hantavirus, particularly following the increase in cases reported in 2025 and an international transmission event associated with a cruise ship that departed from Argentina in April 2026. In 2025, eight countries in the Region reported 229 confirmed cases and 59 deaths from Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, primarily in the Southern Cone. The initiative brought together 55 specialists from 12 countries from June 1 to 4 in Santiago del Este, with the aim of strengthening countries' ability to timely detect, investigate, and respond to these viruses, which continue to pose a public health challenge.

Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News

90-Second Read: Hantavirus One-Shot mRNA Vaccine Fully Protects in Syrian Hamster Model

Jun 12, 2:16 PM EDT

A single-dose mRNA vaccine provided complete protection against the deadly Andes Hantavirus infection in the Syrian hamster model. Last month, the Andes virus outbreak on a Dutch cruise ship departing from Argentina brought a transmission context for Hantavirus, that was previously unprecedented, to the forefront. Now, a new report shares the finding that the vaccine provided full protection against the Andes Hantavirus after a single dose. The Andes virus is the only member of the Hantavirus family that is capable of efficient person-to-person spread through close contact with respiratory secretions.

The Guardian

90-Second Read: Data is not enough: from Covid to measles, America must relearn risk communication | Lynne Peeples

Jun 12, 10:02 AM EDT

As a Hantavirus outbreak tied to a cruise ship appears to be petering out, Ebola cases continue to mount in Africa. The Covid-19 pandemic turned millions of people into direct consumers of data dashboards, statistical models, and risk calculations. Meanwhile, we're already dealing with persistent measles outbreaks across parts of the US and the world, a disease so contagious that nine out of 10 unvaccinated people exposed will contract it, and one for which we have effective prevention.

Marin Independent Journal

90-Second Read: San Quentin prison reports possible Hantavirus case

Jun 11, 5:47 PM EDT

The state is investigating a potential Hantavirus case at San Quentin prison, authorities confirmed Thursday. The prison has decontaminated the inmate's housing as a precaution, and medical staff are monitoring prisoners and staff for possible symptoms. Last month, an outbreak of a Hantavirus called the Andes virus sickened passengers on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean.

The Independent

90-Second Read: Prisoner at San Quentin may have Hantavirus, authorities say

Jun 11, 4:25 PM EDT

The San Quentin Rehabilitation Center confirmed that a 38-year-old inmate at the facility has contracted a possible case of Hantavirus. The situation was first reported on Monday, but the prison confirmed on Wednesday that the illness was being treated as a possible Hantavirus infection. Prison officials said no other potential Hantavirus cases have been identified.

NBC News

90-Second Read: CDC and Florida at odds over Hantavirus cruise ship passenger’s quarantine

Jun 11, 3:47 PM EDT

Florida health officials are pushing back at quarantine guidance from the CDC for passengers from the cruise ship MV Hondius exposed to the Andes Hantavirus. Perryman said that health officials previously told passengers that they would be able to leave federal quarantine by the end of May and spend the rest of their 42-day quarantine under home supervision. Perryman, a Florida native, is one of 18 Americans who were on the Hondius when the rare Hantavirus outbreak struck in May.

The Daily Star

90-Second Read: Surveillance tightened at ports over Hantavirus risk, health ministers tells parliament

Jun 10, 7:39 AM EDT

Health alerts issued as concerns rise globally The government has intensified precautionary measures across all land, sea and air ports following reports of Hantavirus outbreaks in several countries, Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain told the parliament today. The measures include enhanced health screening of incoming travellers at airports, seaports and land ports to ensure early detection of suspected cases. Health minister added that suspected patients showing symptoms of Hantavirus infection would be identified swiftly and referred for necessary treatment and management without delay.

Butler Eagle

90-Second Read: Hantavirus outbreaks rare, but not unheard of in U.S.

Jun 10, 6:30 AM EDT

Last month, the world's attention was gripped by an outbreak of the contagious "Andes strain" of Hantavirus aboard the M/V Hondius cruise ship. As of 2023, according to the most recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been 890 reported cases of Hantavirus in the United States since records began in 1993. Pennsylvania has reported only nine Hantavirus cases in a 30-year span, with the most recent occurring in late 2022. According to the most recent reports from the World Health Organization, 13 positive infections and three deaths have been reported so far, all suffered by either passengers or crew members of the ship.

North Forty News

90-Second Read: Colorado Health Experts Urge Caution Against Hantavirus

Jun 6, 1:39 PM EDT

Colorado health experts urge caution against Hantavirus as outdoor activities increase. Health officials caution against sweeping or vacuuming rodent droppings, which can send virus-containing particles into the air. Colorado has recorded Hantavirus cases since the virus was first identified in the United States in 1993.

The Lufkin Daily News

90-Second Read: Hantavirus case was diagnosed in the 1980s in a Lufkin hospital

Jun 5, 5:15 PM EDT

After several people were recently diagnosed or exposed to the Hantavirus on a cruise ship, many people may have thought it was a disease that had recently come on the scene. However, Hantavirus cases have been diagnosed for many years, although cases are very rare. Gene Stewart, of Lufkin, said his wife Ann Stewart, before retiring several years ago, was clinical laboratory administrative director at the former Memorial Medical Center of East Texas in Lufkin in the late 1980s when a Hantavirus case was confirmed.

WRAL

90-Second Read: Could environmental changes affect Hantavirus risk? Duke researchers think so

Jun 2, 3:13 PM EDT

As officials monitor a rare Hantavirus outbreak, Duke researchers are examining how environmental changes may influence where disease-carrying rodents thrive. As health officials continue monitoring people tied to a rare Hantavirus outbreak, researchers at Duke University say understanding rare diseases may require looking beyond rodents and into the environments where they thrive. As of May 27, 13 Hantavirus cases have been reported in connection with former passengers of the MV Hondius, including three deaths. Researchers found that about 10% of black rats carried Hantavirus.

KTAR News 92.3 FM

90-Second Read: Hantavirus death reported in Mohave County

Jun 2, 12:18 PM EDT

Mohave County health officials reported a Hantavirus death in the Kingman area on Monday. Health officials emphasized that the strain the Kingman resident died from is completely different from the Andes strain that started a Hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship in April. The Kingman victim died from the Sin Nombre strain of Hantavirus, which is historically found in Arizona and the Southwest.

12News

90-Second Read: One person has died in Arizona following Hantavirus infection

Jun 1, 10:45 PM EDT

A Mohave County resident has died after a Hantavirus infection, officials say PHOENIX, One person has died from a Hantavirus infection in Mohave County, officials say. While officials say Hantavirus infections are rare, public awareness is necessary to promote precautions and reduce exposure. 12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona.

galvnews.com

90-Second Read: Guest commentary: Hantavirus outbreak showed challenge for public-health communication

Jun 1, 9:30 PM EDT

Unlike Covid-19, Hantavirus is not a newly emerging pathogen unfamiliar to public health officials. Algorithms transformed the relatively low-risk public health Hantavirus outbreak into an immediate and dizzying stream of speculation and fear. Whether for existing or emerging outbreaks, the imperative for public health efforts is to emphasize not just communication for the sake of it but how that communication can connect emotionally with people and communities.

Las Vegas Review-Journal

90-Second Read: Hantavirus case confirmed in Mohave County | Health | Life

Jun 1, 5:27 PM EDT

Authorities noted the type of Hantavirus found in Arizona is known as Sin Nombre, which is carried primarily by deer mice and historically has been associated with cases in Arizona and the Southwest. Arizona officials say a Mohave County resident has been infected with Hantavirus. The Mohave County Department of Public Health made the announcement Monday in partnership with the Arizona Department of Health Services.

AOL.com

90-Second Read: Super El Niño Could Raise Hantavirus Risk

Jun 1, 12:42 PM EDT

A potential Super El Niño could indirectly raise the risk of Hantavirus cases by creating conditions that allow rodent populations to grow, according to Smithsonian educational material on El Niño and disease. The concern is not that El Niño itself causes Hantavirus. Daily Voice reported Tuesday, May 19, that AccuWeather said El Niño is expected to develop around the start of summer and could reach rare Super El Niño status as early as October or November. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says Hantaviruses are spread mainly by rodents and can cause serious illness and death.

dailyvoice.com

90-Second Read: Super El Niño Could Raise Hantavirus Risk

Jun 1, 10:10 AM EDT

In the US, the most common Hantavirus that causes Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is spread by the deer mouse (shown here), the CDC says. A potential Super El Niño could indirectly raise the risk of Hantavirus cases by creating conditions that allow rodent populations to grow, according to Smithsonian educational material on El Niño and disease. Daily Voice reported Tuesday, May 19, that AccuWeather said El Niño is expected to develop around the start of summer and could reach rare Super El Niño status as early as October or November.

dailyvoice.com

90-Second Read: Super El Niño Could Raise Hantavirus Risk

Jun 1, 10:10 AM EDT

cleanlink.com

90-Second Read: Hantavirus Outbreak: Prompt Infection Prevention

Jun 1, 1:00 AM EDT

SNV is a strain associated with Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), the family of viruses that is also linked to the MV Hondius outbreak. As of May 19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported no confirmed cases of the Andes virus in the United States due to the cruise ship outbreak. However rare, Hantavirus risk does exist nationwide and requires vigilant and existing infection and control measures.

Portland Press Herald - Maine Sunday Telegram

90-Second Read: Ebola, Hantavirus and the warning America should not ignore | Opinion

May 31, 4:34 AM EDT

The current Ebola and Hantavirus outbreaks are not the same kind of emergency. Together, however, they reinforce the same warning: epidemic prevention depends on layers of protection, and weakening these layers puts Americans, including Mainers, at greater risk. Both the Hantavirus and Ebola outbreaks have required countries to identify exposed people, coordinate surveillance and response and align public health guidance. Although we may live in a small state far from the current outbreaks, we remain connected to the world through travel, commerce and migration.

Scot Scoop News

90-Second Read: Confusion and controversy surround government response to Hantavirus

May 30, 11:06 AM EDT

When an unexpected outbreak of Hantavirus occurred on a cruise ship, governments and their health organizations around the globe scrambled to contain the virus, leading to much confusion among the general public. In late April and early May, an outbreak of an extremely rare and deadly virus, Hantavirus, was reported on the MV Hondius, a... As a result, many travelers from the cruise were ordered to isolate for up to 42 days, creating confusion and criticism, since government officials had previously claimed the virus was not a major threat. Public health agencies defended the lengthy quarantines by citing the Hantavirus's long incubation period.

Nonprofit Quarterly

90-Second Read: As Hantavirus and Ebola Cases Rise, Long COVID Is Being Forgotten

May 29, 5:26 PM EDT

Concerns about Ebola or Hantavirus being a new pandemic are rising, but for the millions with Long COVID, we're still in this one. The latest examples of this are the Andes strain of Hantavirus, with a cluster of cases coming from a Dutch-flagged cruise ship in May, and Ebola, with new cases confirmed in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in a rapidly escalating outbreak. There is no vaccine yet for Hantavirus or Ebola, whose mortality rates are both higher than COVID. People are still being impacted by this disease, including becoming permanently disabled and contracting new cases.

Stock Titan

90-Second Read: New Hantavirus antibody and vaccine work targets severe lung syndrome

May 28, 7:25 AM EDT

Rapid Andes virus antibody and vaccine work anchors a Dyadic, Scripps pact using the C1 platform to accelerate biologic production for future outbreaks. Dyadic (NASDAQ: DYAI) and Scripps Research are collaborating to evaluate monoclonal antibody and vaccine candidates targeting Hantaviruses, including Andes virus linked to Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome. This announcement highlights Dyadic's C1 platform being used with Scripps Research to develop Hantavirus antibodies and vaccines, building on prior work in Andes virus, Ebola, and Marburg. Partnership headlines have often seen weak or negative next-day reactions, with 3 of 4 prior events closing lower despite strategically positive announcements.

politico.eu

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

May 27, 8:34 AM EDT

The number of Hantavirus cases linked to an outbreak aboard a cruise ship has now reached 13, the World Health Organization said Wednesday, after Spain reported one more case. The outbreak of the rodent-borne disease was first reported on May 3 aboard the MV Hondius, which was carrying 150 passengers, and has caused three deaths. In total, 13 cases have been reported, including 11 confirmed and two probable.

Stock Titan

90-Second Read: Ebola surge, CDC Hantavirus data spur demand for hospital-grade cleaning

May 27, 8:30 AM EDT

TOMI Environmental Solutions (NASDAQ:TOMZ) highlights expanded market opportunity for its SteraMist decontamination platform amid a WHO-flagged Ebola outbreak in Central Africa and CDC-published Hantavirus research. Today's CDC-linked Hantavirus and Ebola context continues this outbreak-driven commercial positioning theme. WHO-flagged Ebola outbreak and rising Hantavirus exposure risks underscore growing institutional demand for scalable, hospital-grade decontamination solutions across healthcare, hospitality, transportation, and agricultural infrastructure. Nearly 30% of rodents in a new study carried Hantavirus markers, elevating risks for farms and factories as TOMI promotes SteraMist decontamination tech.

Your Local Epidemiologist

90-Second Read: Ebola, chemical plants and health, Hantavirus, common colds, heat and more

May 27, 7:43 AM EDT

Chemical plant (near) explosions, Ebola, Hantavirus, and that's before you even get to the usual suspects: common colds, heat, and ticks. The global count of cruise ship passengers with Hantavirus has now increased to 13 cases (11 confirmed), with three deaths. Health officials say the risk to surrounding residents from chemicals in the air and ground remains low, though the community deserves far greater clarity.

Islands' Sounder

90-Second Read: Public health hot topic: Hantavirus

May 27, 4:33 AM EDT

On May 2, a cruise ship reported to the World Health Organization a cluster of passengers with severe respiratory illness onboard. Summer travelers can feel reassured that there is currently no recommendation from U.S. or international health authorities to cancel or change travel plans because of Hantavirus. To learn how to wet clean safely, the Department of Health has instructions on its website ( https://doh.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2024-02/420569-SafelyCleaningAfterRodents-Hantavirus-Poster-English.pdf ).

The Good Men Project

90-Second Read: ‘Low Risk’ as Africa Hantavirus Cases Spur Surveillance

May 27, 3:35 AM EDT

The outbreak is linked to the Dutch-flagged cruise ship MV Hondius, which sailed from Argentina to Cape Verde before some of its 147 passengers transited via South Africa. In an update on Wednesday (13 May) the World Health Organization (WHO) said 11 cases, including three deaths, had been reported, eight of which have been confirmed as Hantavirus. Public health experts say such events are increasingly testing Africa's disease surveillance systems, especially in countries with limited diagnostic capacity and uneven outbreak preparedness infrastructure. Two other cases are probable, and one case remains inconclusive pending further testing, the WHO said.

Global News

90-Second Read: Saskatoon researchers in ‘very early stages’ of animal testing for Hantavirus vaccine

May 26, 8:34 PM EDT

But researchers at VIDO have already been studying the virus and developing vaccines against New World Hantaviruses, which include the two strains most commonly found in the Americas. The other is the Sin Nombre virus, the strain commonly linked to cases of transmission from deer mice to humans in Canada and the U.S. Currently, there is no cure or vaccine for Hantavirus, though many efforts worldwide are underway to develop one. As for next steps, Warner said researchers will be getting the vaccines into animals this summer and will continue to conduct field surveillance involving trapping deer mice outside and testing them to see the prevalence of the virus in Saskatchewan.

Global News

90-Second Read: Spanish government confirms new case of Hantavirus linked to cruise ship

May 26, 11:04 AM EDT

The Spanish government said Monday that it has confirmed a new case of Hantavirus connected to the MV Hondius cruise ship that made headlines when three individuals died after contracting Hantavirus during their voyage earlier this month. On May 12, Spain's health ministry announced that a Spanish passenger evacuated from the cruise ship at the centre of the Hantavirus outbreak had tested positive for the virus. But the Hantavirus that has caused the current outbreak, called the Andes virus, may be able to spread between people in rare cases.

Science News

90-Second Read: Why is Hantavirus so deadly? It’s not what you may think

May 26, 9:00 AM EDT

Andes Hantavirus causes deadly lung failure, but its method of attack differs from other respiratory illnesses. What scientists have gleaned so far is informing how they monitor the more than 150 individuals worldwide currently in quarantine after the recent outbreak of the Andes Hantavirus on the cruise ship MV Hondius. Most patients who die do so either while being admitted to the hospital or within the first 24 hours after admission, Vial and colleagues discovered when reviewing 100 Hantavirus cases treated at eight hospitals in Chile over about eight years. A better understanding of its unusual killing method could point to future treatments Andes Hantavirus has only four proteins yet is a master of manipulating cells and the immune system.

GlobeNewswire

90-Second Read: Cocrystal Pharma Announces Discovery of Pan-Viral Inhibitors Targeting Hantavirus, Bunyavirus and Influenza

May 26, 8:00 AM EDT

Novel, potent pan-viral inhibitors targeting the viral replication complex are under development for the treatment of Hantavirus, bunyavirus and... These antiviral molecules target a highly conserved region of the viral replication enzyme, specifically the L-protein of Andes Hantavirus, which is essential for viral replication and transcription. About Cocrystal Pharma's Structure-Based Drug Discovery Platform Cocrystal is leveraging its structure‑based drug discovery platform technology to design next‑generation antiviral candidates that precisely target viral replication mechanisms. BOTHELL, Wash., May 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cocrystal Pharma, Inc.

Islands' Weekly

90-Second Read: Public health hot topic: Hantavirus

May 26, 4:31 AM EDT

Contributed graphic by Caitlin Rivers; CDC; Associated Press Many people are hearing about Hantavirus, maybe for the first time, because of a cruise outbreak or because actor Gene Hackman's wife died from Hantavirus in 2025, which has increased public attention to the disease. On May 2, a cruise ship reported to the World Health Organization a cluster of passengers with severe respiratory illness onboard. Summer travelers can feel reassured that there is currently no recommendation from U.S. or international health authorities to cancel or change travel plans because of Hantavirus.

NDTV

90-Second Read: Hantavirus Case Confirmed Among Quarantined Spaniards

May 26, 12:37 AM EDT

The detection of this new case does not alter the risk level for the general population or alter the epidemiological response measures currently in place, the ministry added. According to the WHO, Hantaviruses are zoonotic viruses that naturally infect rodents and are occasionally transmitted to humans. While there is no specific treatment that cures Hantavirus diseases, early supportive medical care is key to improve survival and focuses on close clinical monitoring and management of respiratory, cardiac and kidney complications.

The Bradford Era

90-Second Read: U.S. vulnerable to threats like Hantavirus

May 24, 9:10 PM EDT

Two recent, overseas outbreaks of viral diseases have been dominating headlines, and showing that the United States is no longer the global health leader it once was. In the first incident, a strain of Hantavirus sickened about a dozen passengers and crew members on a cruise ship. In both outbreaks, appropriate public health measures were delayed because medical personnel weren't familiar with the particular strains of virus involved.

The Good Men Project

90-Second Read: Hantavirus: Do We Need to Worry About This Rare Infection?

May 24, 6:02 PM EDT

In the Americas, infection with Hantavirus first leads to symptoms like fever, headache, muscle aches, and abdominal symptoms like diarrhea. When the infection becomes severe, patients can later develop Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, with shortness of breath, cough, and ultimately respiratory failure. Similarly, those who are flying are more likely to be exposed to an upper respiratory infection, like a cold, than Hantavirus.

New York Post

90-Second Read: Hantavirus is gaining ground in the US, startling researchers: ‘Widespread and complex virus’

May 24, 10:13 AM EDT

As passengers from the Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship are being monitored, unusually high levels of the virus have been detected in rodents in the US. SNV is the strain most strongly linked to Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), the more common form in the US. The findings also suggest the need for expanded Hantavirus monitoring in agricultural areas of the Pacific Northwest, as well as how often people are exposed and how human behavior influences risk. Researchers found that a significant portion of rodents in the Pacific Northwest were carrying the Sin Nombre virus (SNV).

The New Yorker

90-Second Read: How Prepared Are We for a Public-Health Emergency?

May 24, 6:00 AM EDT

Dhruv Khullar on how the recent outbreaks of Hantavirus and Ebola expose the shortsightedness of the United States' retreat, under the Trump Administration, from its role as a global-health leader. Health authorities have sought to ease concerns about the outbreak. Hondius prepared to dock in Rotterdam, unloading the last of its crew, the World Health Organization declared an Ebola public-health emergency. What followed is well documented: a seventy-year-old man developed fever, diarrhea, and severe respiratory distress; he died of what turned out to be a Hantavirus infection.

AOL.com

90-Second Read: What is Hantavirus, and could we be at risk? | Opinion

May 23, 10:00 AM EDT

Shortly after sailing, a passenger became ill with Hantavirus, later determined to be the Andes strain. The first recognized outbreak of Hantavirus occurred in 1993 in the Four Corners region, where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah meet. This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: What is Hantavirus, and could we be at risk? However, the passenger who contracted Hantavirus while bird watching did not; his wife and another passenger died as well.

Kitsap Sun

90-Second Read: What is Hantavirus, and could we be at risk? | Opinion

May 23, 10:00 AM EDT

Shortly after sailing, a passenger became ill with Hantavirus, later determined to be the Andes strain. The first recognized outbreak of Hantavirus occurred in 1993 in the Four Corners region, where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah meet. Heavy rains of an El Nino weather pattern likely fostered the 1993 outbreak because it created ideal feeding and breeding conditions for the deer mouse, the most common rodent carrier of Hantavirus in the United States. The tiny, long-tailed pygmy rice rat, weighing just one ounce, is known to carry the Andes strain, the only Hantavirus which can spread from person to person.

Yahoo News Singapore

90-Second Read: Is Hantavirus a threat to Europe? Climate change and habitat destruction are increasing the risk

May 23, 1:00 AM EDT

Hantavirus has circulated in Europe long before the MV Hondius outbreak, but is climate change increasing future risk?View on euronews Fears of another global pandemic erupted this month after the MV Hondius cruise ship became the centre of a deadly Hantavirus outbreak. Hantavirus existed in Europe long before it dominated headlines at the beginning of this month, with the first documented outbreak occurring in Sweden in 1934. Amid growing Hantavirus worries, how prepared is Europe for new health threats? The latest World Health Organization (WHO) Disease Outbreak News report states that as of 13 May, a total of 11 cases, including three deaths, have been reported.

France 24

90-Second Read: Hantavirus isn’t very contagious, but it can spread from human to human

May 22, 11:54 AM EDT

Social media users around the world have been claiming that Hantavirus can't be spread from one human to another. However, some social media users were quick to say that these health measures weren't justified because, according to them, Hantavirus can't be spread from human to human. Contrary to the claims circulating online that Hantavirus can't be spread between humans, human-to-human transmission has been documented by scientists, notably in a study published by The New England Journal of Medicine about an outbreak in Argentina in 2019. Issued on: 22/05/2026, 17:54 Modified: 22/05/2026, 17:55 On May 3, the World Health Organisation ( WHO ) announced the death of three passengers on the MV Hondius, a cruise ship crossing the Atlantic Ocean, from Hantavirus.

Yahoo News New Zealand

90-Second Read: Hantavirus isn’t very contagious, but it can spread from human to human

May 22, 11:54 AM EDT

Social media users around the world have been claiming that Hantavirus can't be spread from one human to another. However, some social media users were quick to say that these health measures weren't justified because, according to them, Hantavirus can't be spread from human to human. Contrary to the claims circulating online that Hantavirus can't be spread between humans, human-to-human transmission has been documented by scientists, notably in a study published by The New England Journal of Medicine about an outbreak in Argentina in 2019. On May 3, the World Health Organisation ( WHO ) announced the death of three passengers on the MV Hondius, a cruise ship crossing the Atlantic Ocean, from Hantavirus.

Time Magazine

90-Second Read: The Ebola and Hantavirus Outbreaks Offer an Ominous Warning

May 22, 7:02 AM EDT

This latest Ebola outbreak is unfolding alongside a frightening Hantavirus outbreak that erupted on a cruise ship. To be sure, Ebola and Hantavirus are different viruses spreading under different circumstances, but both come from animals. Health workers in orange hazmat suits board the Dutch cruise ship, MV Hondius following a deadly Andes Hantavirus outbreak, in the Netherlands on May 20, 2026. Faced with such inequities, it's no wonder that thousands of people died between those two outbreaks.

The Jakarta Post

90-Second Read: From coronavirus to Hantavirus: Ecosystems in crisis

May 21, 11:53 PM EDT

The identification of Hantavirus cases in early May further emphasizes this ongoing threat. Hantavirus is primarily hosted by rodents, especially wild rats. Coronavirus and Hantavirus infections illustrate how EIDs are often linked to anthropogenic (human-driven) changes in the environment.

The Tyee

90-Second Read: Hantavirus Shrinks the Lines Between Human and Animal Health

May 21, 11:50 PM EDT

This Hantavirus outbreak is a smaller, slower-moving version of the same lesson: the line between human health, animal health and the places we travel for pleasure is much smaller than we like to think. Though much of the focus has been to reassure people that this is not the next COVID-19, what this outbreak points to is a real-time One Health story, a framework that recognizes human, animal and environmental health as a single, interconnected system. But what connects these stories is a world where the boundaries between human health, animal health, climate and travel are largely fictional, and shrinking further every year. Fourteen months later, 11 people on the Dutch cruise ship Hondius have been infected with a different Hantavirus strain.

BioPharma APAC

90-Second Read: Hyundai Bioscience Positions XAFTY As Potential Ebola And Hantavirus Treatment Following Strong IC50 Findings

May 21, 6:41 PM EDT

The IC50 level of XAFTY ® is even lower for the Ebola virus at 0.125 μM. Hyundai Bioscience reports that it has enough drug inventory for immediate supply to the outbreak frontlines. Antiviral Efficacy Against Hantavirus Expected XAFTY ® has reported on its broad antiviral activity. Efficacy against Ebola, More Than Double That Against COVID-19- Ready for Immediate Administration The IC50 data is the drug concentration that can inhibit viral replication by 50%.

Patriot News MN

90-Second Read: MDH monitoring person potentially exposed to Hantavirus in Minnesota

May 21, 9:03 AM EDT

Newspaper dedicated to reporting the news in Central Minnesota The Minnesota Department of Health issued this statemenlast Tuesday about monitoring a person who was potentially exposed to Hantavirus overseas. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is monitoring one person in Minnesota who may have briefly been exposed overseas to someone who was on board the MV Hondius cruise and tested positive for Hantavirus (Andes virus). Hantavirus has been in the news a lot lately, and MDH understands that news of a person being monitored in Minnesota may raise concerns.

KRIS 6 News Corpus Christi

90-Second Read: Health expert addresses Hantavirus concerns, says South Texas risk remains extremely low

May 20, 7:36 PM EDT

Fergie said the strain of Hantavirus most commonly found in the United States is concentrated in the Southwest, primarily Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah, and is extremely rare in Texas. It's extremely uncommon and it's not an issue for us here in South Texas. A South Texas infectious disease expert is addressing public concerns about Hantavirus, saying the virus is not new and poses little to no risk for people in the region. This Hantaviruses have existed for a very long time, decades and decades we know about this virus.

MedPage Today

90-Second Read: What Do We Know About How Hantavirus Spreads?

May 20, 2:26 PM EDT

Andes virus is the only Hantavirus that can spread human-to-human Experts are relying heavily on a paper about superspreader events in Argentina to understand transmission dynamics of the Andes virus at the center of the Hantavirus cruise ship outbreak. About 82 healthcare workers were exposed to symptomatic patients with confirmed Andes virus infection at one hospital. Andes virus is the only known Hantavirus to be able to transmit human-to-human. Some experts have been pushing to acknowledge that airborne transmission is likely in this case.

Men's Health

90-Second Read: Yes, Hantavirus Can Live in Sperm for Years—But There's A Catch

May 20, 1:51 PM EDT

Research suggests that Hantavirus can live in sperm for 6 years. Doctors say it Doctors say Hantavirus can be found in sperm for 6 years, but there's more to know than that. AS OF RIGHT now, there have been no confirmed cases of Hantavirus from this outbreak outside of some passengers who were on the MV Hondius.

KFYR-TV

90-Second Read: ND monitoring seven individuals for Hantavirus linked to cruise ship; risk to public low

May 20, 1:12 PM EDT

According to the department, the seven individuals were not passengers on the MV Hondius cruise ship but were exposed overseas to someone who was on the ship. The risk of Hantavirus spreading to the general public is considered low. Crew on the Dutch cruise ship reported the outbreak of the rare Hantavirus in early May.

Newswise

90-Second Read: Hantavirus: What to Know and Next Steps for Health Systems | Newswise

May 20, 12:00 PM EDT

Since the Andes strain of the Hantavirus is not a highly transmissible virus compared to others, the WHO and the CDC note that the risk for widespread transmission is currently low. Resources: Johns Hopkins Medicine recently published updated information about Hantavirus, and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health recently released a Public Health on Call podcast episode. The World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have created toolkits to explain the Hantavirus and are sharing updates from their newsrooms. About Hantavirus: Hantaviruses are a group of viruses primarily carried by rodents.

The Cool Down

90-Second Read: Hantavirus outbreak exposes deep cracks in US public health as experts warn we're not ready

May 19, 6:15 PM EDT

At a recent event in Washington, D.C., former U.S. health leaders said the Hantavirus outbreak should be understood as a warning about broader gaps in public health preparedness, the Guardian reported. Stephanie Psaki, the former White House global health security coordinator, said the main lesson is not that the country is in good shape if this outbreak stays contained. Nina Schwalbe, a senior scholar at Georgetown University's Center for Global Health Policy and Politics, said public officials also need to become better at talking honestly about uncertainty.

Yahoo

90-Second Read: Hantavirus outbreak exposes deep cracks in US public health as experts warn we're not ready

May 19, 6:15 PM EDT

At a recent event in Washington, D.C., former U.S. health leaders said the Hantavirus outbreak should be understood as a warning about broader gaps in public health preparedness, the Guardian reported. Stephanie Psaki, the former White House global health security coordinator, said the main lesson is not that the country is in good shape if this outbreak stays contained. Experts said the concern is not only the outbreak itself, which the World Health Organization is monitoring and has classified as a low risk to the global population.

FOX 5 New York

90-Second Read: Colorado reports adult death linked to Hantavirus

May 19, 4:31 PM EDT

Colorado health officials reported that the person who died from Hantavirus wasn't linked to the recent outbreak aboard a cruise ship. In a statement from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment on May 18, obtained by Reuters, the agency explained that the strain of Hantavirus that resulted in the death in Colorado happens regularly in the state during this time of the year. The cause of the Hantavirus exposure is under investigation by Colorado health officials. Symptoms, how it spreads and why experts are watching it USA Today reported that approximately 41 individuals in the United States are under evaluation for Hantavirus related to the deadly outbreak that killed three passengers on the MV Hondius cruise ship.

TODAY.com

90-Second Read: Why the Ebola Outbreak Is More Concerning to Health Experts Than Hantavirus

May 19, 4:15 PM EDT

An outbreak of a rare type of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring Uganda has caused over 530 suspected cases and 131 deaths, according to the DRC's Public Health Ministry. Although the immediate risk of Ebola to Americans is low, the CDC says, the fast-growing outbreak has sparked alarm among health experts. While the Ebola outbreak is alarming, health experts emphasize that it's unlikely to trigger a pandemic.

Inklings News

90-Second Read: What you should know about the recent outbreak of Hantavirus

May 19, 1:45 PM EDT

Five cases of Hantavirus have been confirmed as of May 8, with three people dead and four others suspected to be infected after an outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise. According to Harvard medical school, those who contract Hantavirus commonly experience symptoms such as fatigue, fever and muscle aches. The outbreak is classified as an emergency level 3, which is the lowest level of emergency activation.

Pharmaceutical Technology

90-Second Read: UK government bolsters antiviral supply for Hantavirus

May 19, 10:59 AM EDT

The UK has received a supply of favipiravir from the Japanese government to aid Hantavirus preparedness. The risk of wider transmission of Hantavirus in the UK remains very low, but the UKHSA said securing a supply of favipiravir is an "important part of preparedness and defence against the outbreak". According to GlobalData, the Hantavirus outbreak is a reminder of the need for greater investment in novel antivirals.

Yahoo

90-Second Read: Hantavirus Death Confirmed in Colorado as Health Officials Launch Investigation

May 19, 9:50 AM EDT

On Saturday, May 16, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment confirmed that a resident of Douglas County contracted the rodent-borne virus, resulting in their death. Officials said the case is not linked to the recent outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship, which led to three deaths and at least 10 confirmed cases. Health officials note that the risk of Hantavirus can be reduced by eliminating or minimizing contact with rodents in the home, workplace or campsite.

Tillamook County Pioneer

90-Second Read: IN GOOD HEALTH: Hantavirus – What To Know About Your Risks

May 18, 8:28 PM EDT

An outbreak caused by a Hantavirus was identified as the cause of the deaths, with an additional seven passengers ill with assumed or confirmed Hantavirus. The outbreak cluster is rare for Hantavirus and has many worried about the possible spread as passengers begin returning to their home countries. Given the nature of Hantavirus and the close monitoring by health organizations, it is very unlikely that these infections will lead to a pandemic.

IPM Newsroom

90-Second Read: Public health officials address Hantavirus questions on 21st Show

May 18, 6:33 PM EDT

Two local public health officials discussed how people can get exposed to Hantavirus and what protective measures are helpful on the 21st Show. The Illinois Department of Public Health said last week it was investigating someone in Winnebago County that was believed to have contracted Hantavirus. However, in an update, IDPH said Monday that the individual is "no longer considered a potential case of Hantavirus and no further public health action is needed" based on testing from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Hantavirus outbreak on a Dutch cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean was first documented last month.

Denver Gazette

90-Second Read: Douglas County Hantavirus death tied to rodent exposure

May 18, 5:36 PM EDT

An adult Douglas County resident has died from a case of Hantavirus, prompting an investigation by state and local health officials. The Douglas County Health Department and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment are investigating the case, which officials said likely resulted from local exposure to rodents. Health officials emphasized that the case is not linked to a recent Hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship and said the risk to the public remains low.

Chicago Sun-Times

90-Second Read: Illinois resident suspected of Hantavirus infection tested negative for illness

May 18, 3:46 PM EDT

The risk for Hantavirus to spread in Illinois remains very low, state health officials emphasized. An Illinois resident tested for Hantavirus does not have the infection, Illinois health officials said. The Winnebago County resident was tested last week after they were likely exposed to rodent droppings and developed mild symptoms that did not require hospitalization, the Illinois Department of Public Health said at the time.

Albuquerque Journal

90-Second Read: 'I feel like this is my second life': Taos Hantavirus survivor looks back on battle with rare disease

May 18, 3:45 PM EDT

A Taos man who narrowly survived Hantavirus in 2020 shares his story as a deadly cruise ship outbreak of the Andes variant raises global alarm. Health officials rapidly deployed messaging to quell those fears, however, emphasizing that Andes Hantavirus is the only form with documented person-to-person spread. The overall mortality rate for Hantavirus infections can range beyond 50% in some cases, such as during the 1993 Four Corners outbreak, when Sin Nombre virus infected 33 people, 17 of whom died. The Sin Nombre species of Hantavirus is endemic to the American West and well known in New Mexico, which sees more infections from that strain each year than any other state, with an average of five to seven annually, according to the New Mexico Department of Health.

Chicago Tribune

90-Second Read: Illinois resident with previously suspected case of Hantavirus tests negative for illness

May 18, 2:44 PM EDT

A Winnebago County resident with a previously suspected case of Hantavirus doesn't have the illness after all, state health officials said Monday. The Illinois Department of Public Health announced May 12 that the person had a potential case of Hantavirus but that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would perform additional testing to confirm if the person had the illness. Illinois has had seven positive cases of Hantavirus since 1993, most recently in March 2025.

CBS News

90-Second Read: Test finds patient in Winnebago County, Illinois, did not have Hantavirus, officials say

May 18, 2:00 PM EDT

Test finds patient in Winnebago County did not have Hantavirus, officials say A person suspected of having Hantavirus in Winnebago County, Illinois, turned out to be a false alarm, officials said Monday. The Illinois Department of Public Health said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a confirmatory test on the person with the suspected case of Hantavirus in the county, far northwest of Chicago. Hantavirus has been in the headlines eve since a deadly cruise ship outbreak, to which Illinois officials from the beginning said the suspected case in Winnebago County was not related. The resident is no longer considered a potential Hantavirus case, and no further public health action is necessary in this case, the department said.

KKTV

90-Second Read: Health leaders offer safety tips after Colorado Hantavirus death

May 18, 1:48 PM EDT

Colorado has recorded the second-highest number of Hantavirus cases in the country since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention starting tracking cases in 1993. COLORADO (KKTV), An adult who lived in Douglas County has died of Hantavirus in a case that is not connected to a recent outbreak on a cruise ship. On Monday, leaders with UCHealth offered advice for staying safe.

Scientific American

90-Second Read: How scientists developed a Hantavirus PCR test in a weekend Inside the race to develop a Hantavirus PCR test

May 18, 1:45 PM EDT

Over the course of May 9 and 10, scientists at the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory worked around the clock to develop a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for Andes Hantavirus, which has sickened at least 10 and killed three people who sailed on board the MV Hondius. Peter Iwen, director of the Nebraska Public Health Lab, and deputy director Emily McCutchen, chatted with Scientific American to explain how they developed the Andes virus PCR test in a single weekend, how it works and how it's being used now. We know that for [a type of Hantavirus known as] the Sin Nombre virus, that prior to developing symptoms, people actually have a little bit of virus in their blood, so we can get a quicker result to say, "yes, they do have the virus" by doing PCR.

Washington Examiner

90-Second Read: Colorado adult dies from Hantavirus, but case not linked to cruise ship

May 18, 12:03 PM EDT

The state health agency said in a statement that "the risk to the general public remains low." The CDC had said last week that there were no cases of Hantavirus in the United States, as health officials have widely urged Americans to remain calm about the virus. The outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship led to 11 cases of Hantavirus aboard the ship, of which eight were confirmed, one was inconclusive and two were probable. The major concern regarding the outbreak on the cruise ship was the fact that World Health Organization experts suspected the virus was spread through human-to-human transmission, which had not been previously seen with Hantavirus. One person in Colorado has died from a Hantavirus exposure from a local rodent, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said.

NewsNation

90-Second Read: Hantavirus can survive in semen 6 years after infection: Study

May 17, 8:52 PM EDT

A 2023 study suggesting the Hantavirus can live for years in semen and could be transmitted sexually is getting attention following the deadly outbreak on the MV Hondius. Three passengers on the Dutch‑flagged cruise ship died after contracting the Andes strain of Hantavirus, and several others were infected. In that study, Swiss researchers analyzed a 55‑year‑old man who had survived severe complications from Andes Hantavirus nearly six years earlier.

KPTV

90-Second Read: Canadian national health agency confirms 1 positive Hantavirus test

May 17, 4:00 PM EDT

Canada's national health agency confirms that one of four Canadians returning from a cruise ship with a Hantavirus outbreak has tested positive. The Public Health Agency of Canada confirmed the positive test a day after the public health officer for the province of British Columbia said the person had received a "presumptive positive" but further testing would be conducted at the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg. The Canadian public health agency said it is taking a precautionary approach to ensure citizens are protected.

KY3

90-Second Read: Canadian national health agency confirms 1 positive Hantavirus test

May 17, 4:00 PM EDT

WDBJ7

90-Second Read: Canadian national health agency confirms 1 positive Hantavirus test

May 17, 4:00 PM EDT

WWNY

90-Second Read: Canadian national health agency confirms 1 positive Hantavirus test

May 17, 4:00 PM EDT

WOWT

90-Second Read: Canadian national health agency confirms 1 positive Hantavirus test

May 17, 4:00 PM EDT

KSBY News

90-Second Read: Colorado adult dies from Hantavirus; case not linked to cruise ship outbreak

May 17, 3:43 PM EDT

A person in Colorado has died from Hantavirus, state and county health officials reported on Saturday. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) said it's investigating the incident and said the Douglas County case is not linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship outbreak. But the Hantavirus that has caused the cruise ship outbreak, called the Andes virus, may be able to spread between people in rare cases. However, the case is not linked to the recent cruise ship outbreak.

Gizmodo

90-Second Read: Polymarket Spreads Sensationalist Garbage About Hantavirus Case in U.S.

May 17, 3:33 PM EDT

Did you see a tweet from Polymarket that a s uspected Hantavirus case has been reported involving a high school student in New York? But there are a number of different reasons that health experts are less concerned about Hantavirus. For whatever reason, Polymarket spreads some of the most sensationalist garbage on social media, which is doing nothing for the credibility of prediction markets. Many people around the world are on edge after Hantavirus infected at least 11 people on a cruise ship, killing three.

Chicago Tribune

90-Second Read: Canadian national health agency confirms 1 positive Hantavirus test

May 17, 2:28 PM EDT

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 Public Health Agency of Canada confirmed the positive test a day after the public health officer for the province of British Columbia said the person had received a "presumptive positive" but further testing would be conducted at the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg. The Canadian public health agency said it is taking a precautionary approach to ensure citizens are protected.

AP News

90-Second Read: Canadian national health agency confirms 1 positive Hantavirus test

May 17, 2:13 PM EDT

KevinMD.com

90-Second Read: Hantavirus cruise ship outbreak exposes CDC missteps

May 17, 1:09 PM EDT

The recent outbreak of Hantavirus infection on the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius raises several questions and concerns. On May 7, 2026, the CDC sent a team to meet the cruise ship in the Canary Islands, almost a month after the first death due to Hantavirus. Between the epidemiological weeks 1 and 10 of 2026 (4 January to 14 March 2026), the Ministry of Public Health in Argentina reported 12 confirmed Hantavirus cases and two deaths in Salta Province, northwestern Argentina. Dutch ornithologist Leo Schilperoord was the first person to die of Hantavirus infection on the ship on April 11, 2026.

The Journal of the San Juan Islands

90-Second Read: Public health hot topic: Hantavirus

May 17, 4:35 AM EDT

The Guardian

90-Second Read: Canada confirms first Hantavirus case in isolation in British Columbia

May 16, 4:12 PM EDT

The four Canadians who had been on board the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius, where the Hantavirus outbreak occurred, arrived in Victoria on 10 May, Henry said, adding that on arrival, all four of them were assessed and none of them had any symptoms. 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. Since 11 April, three people who were on board the cruise ship have died of suspected Hantavirus infections of Hantavirus, including a Dutch couple and a German woman.

Idaho News 6

90-Second Read: 'No treatment or vaccine': Health experts urge caution as Hantavirus concerns rise in Treasure Valley

May 16, 3:19 PM EDT

CALDWELL, Idaho, Concerns about Hantavirus are growing in the Treasure Valley after reports connected a cruise ship outbreak to the virus. Venugopal said there are 21 different strains of Hantavirus, and Idaho has only seen 3 cases in the last five years. So if you see any of those symptoms, talk to your healthcare provider," Venugopal said, "The treatment is mostly supportive care.

Yahoo

90-Second Read: Hantavirus latest updates: Suspected case at New York high school not linked to cruise ship

May 16, 11:41 AM EDT

There are no known cases of Hantavirus in the United States, health officials say. Dozens of people are being monitored for Hantavirus tied to the deadly outbreak on board the cruise ship MV Hondius. The World Health Organization said that as of May 15, there were a total of 10 reported cases of Hantavirus stemming from the cruise ship, eight of which had been confirmed and two of which were probable. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Friday that the risk to the global population remains low.

dailyvoice.com

90-Second Read: Possible Hantavirus Case Involves High School Student In NY

May 16, 8:18 AM EDT

Health officials are investigating a suspected local case involving a high school student in New York. The Geneva City School District said there is no evidence of risk to other students or staff, ABC News reported. That means the suspected student case does not require the kind of quarantine measures tied to the MV Hondius outbreak, which involves the Andes strain of Hantavirus.

FOX 5 Atlanta

90-Second Read: Hantavirus monitoring ends in Atlanta as Emory University Hospital releases patients

May 15, 9:26 PM EDT

Two Georgia passengers being monitored after a cruise ship Hantavirus outbreak have been discharged from Emory University Hospital. Emory University Hospital operates as one of 13 federally supported Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Centers equipped to manage high-consequence infectious diseases. The Source: The information in this story was gathered from a press release by Emory University Hospital Media Relations Director Jen Phillips, as well as previous tracking data provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization.

DC News Now

90-Second Read: What’s Going Around | Monitoring Hantavirus

May 15, 9:12 PM EDT

The rare Andes strain, which was linked to the cruise ship outbreak, is the only Hantavirus that can spread from human to human, typically through prolonged exposure. WASHINGTON ( DC News Now ), While it is at the center of an outbreak on a cruise ship in the Atlantic, investigators said Hantavirus is the same infection that killed the wife of late actor Gene Hackman in their New Mexico home last year. The World Health Organization (WHO) said that a total of 11 Hantavirus cases linked to the cruise have been reported worldwide, including three deaths. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Hantavirus is mainly spread through contact with an infected rodent, like mice or rats.

FOX 13 Seattle

90-Second Read: Hantavirus reported in Chelan County, WA, unrelated to cruise ship outbreak

May 15, 6:17 PM EDT

Another case of Hantavirus has been reported in Washington, this time in Chelan County, and health officials note it has no connection to the cruise ship outbreak in early May. The Chelan-Douglas Health District on Friday confirmed a single case of the 'Sin Nombre' strain of Hantavirus. Importantly, it is unrelated to the outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship, and is also a different strain.

Mother Jones

90-Second Read: Antisemitic Hantavirus Conspiracy Theories Are Spreading—and the Platforms Are Hands Off

May 15, 11:06 AM EDT

Crew from a cruise ship affected by Hantavirus arrive in the Netherlands on May 12. Christoph Reichwein/dpa/Zuma A popular social media conspiracy theory about a recent cluster of Hantavirus cases claims that the word "hanta" means "scam," "fraud," or "nonsense" in "Hebrew slang." That's more or less where the theory ends and dark suggestion takes over. In New Mexico, Hantavirus cases virtually occur annually; last year, Santa Fe resident Betsy Arakawa, the wife of actor Gene Hackman, died from the illness. Even the root linguistic claim is completely wrong: the word "Hantavirus" comes from the Hantaan River in Korea, where the prototype virus was first identified.

WIRED

90-Second Read: We Now Know How Many People the CDC Is Monitoring for Hantavirus

May 14, 5:00 PM EDT

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is monitoring 41 people in the US for the Andes Hantavirus after a cruise ship was hit with a rare outbreak, but the risk to the public remains low, according to health officials. The agency is also monitoring passengers who returned home before the outbreak was identified and others who were exposed during travel, specifically on flights where a symptomatic case was present. As of Thursday, the World Health Organization has confirmed 11 cases of the Andes virus among passengers of the MV Hondius cruise ship, including three deaths. There are no confirmed cases in the US, but 41 people who were potentially exposed to the Andes virus are in quarantine or being monitored for symptoms.

WHEC.com

90-Second Read: Suspected case of Hantavirus in Ontario County on Thursday

May 14, 3:49 PM EDT

Ontario County Public Health (OCPH) said it's investigating a possible case of locally-acquired Hantavirus. The possible Hantavirus case in Ontario County is not transferable from person to person, only from rodent droppings to a person. Human Hantavirus infections are uncommon, with only a few cases since reporting became mandatory in 1995.

Forbes

90-Second Read: Oregon Doctor Out Of Isolation After Negative Hantavirus Tests (Live Updates)

May 14, 1:04 PM EDT

A Spanish citizen who was evacuated from the MV Hondius, an expedition cruise ship linked to a deadly Hantavirus outbreak, has tested positive for the virus weeks after leaving the ship, according to Spain's Ministry of Health. 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 symptomatic passenger who returned to America after disembarking the MV Honduis, and is being cared for in Atlanta, tests negative for Hantavirus, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Thursday, May 14, 2026 More than 40 people are being monitored but there are no confirmed cases in the United States, CNBC reported.

Vanderbilt Health News

90-Second Read: Hantavirus reassurance; early puberty in girls; how engaging with the arts can slow down aging; plus other stories with Vanderbilt Health sources

May 14, 12:22 PM EDT

As the cruise-ship-driven Hantavirus outbreak continued to make international news, William Schaffner, MD, Professor of Preventive Medicine, was one of the most quoted experts by news outlets. The New York Times health reporter Emily Anthes interviewed James Crowe, MD, Director of the Vanderbilt Center for Antibody Therapeutics, for a story about Hantavirus vaccines and treatments in the pipeline. Cassandra Brady, MD, Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, was quoted in a Medscape piece about how early puberty in girls may be linked to stress and BMI.

The Taos News

90-Second Read: Hantavirus outbreak abroad prompts reminder about risk in New Mexico

May 14, 12:11 PM EDT

A Hantavirus outbreak linked to the M/V Hondius cruise ship that resulted in three deaths and up to a dozen infections has heightened awareness about a virus that is all too familiar in New Mexico. New Mexico ranks among the top five states for total Hantavirus cases since national surveillance began in 1993 following the Four Corners outbreak, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. State health officials emphasized this week that the Hantavirus strain found in New Mexico differs from the strain linked to the cruise ship outbreak and does not spread person-to-person. A researcher from the University of New Mexico Bradfute Lab traps rodents during Hantavirus field research in New Mexico.

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

90-Second Read: How Hantavirus actually spreads is a key question

May 14, 12:00 PM EDT

Although Hantavirus is unlikely to spark a pandemic, it's still dangerous, so knowing how it spreads is key to containing it in the weeks to come, says Joseph Allen. He cited a December 2020 NEJM study that found that an outbreak in Argentina of the Andes strain of the Hantavirus, the type that spread on the cruise ship, could have spread through aerosolized particles. Allen acknowledged that this Hantavirus outbreak is not likely to spark a pandemic because it's less contagious than influenza, measles, and SARS-CoV-2.

The Taos News

90-Second Read: Hantavirus outbreak abroad prompts reminder about risk in New Mexico

May 14, 11:41 AM EDT

The Topeka Capital-Journal

90-Second Read: What to know about Hantavirus, and past cases and deaths in Kansas

May 14, 5:09 AM EDT

As public health officials in Kansas and around the world monitor Hantavirus cases and exposures following an outbreak on a cruise ship, the Sunflower State has had a few cases in recent years of the illness-causing virus carried and spread by rodents. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment announced May 12 that it was monitoring three people who were exposed to someone with confirmed Andes Hantavirus on an international flight. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports there were 890 cases of Hantavirus disease reported nationwide from 1993, when Hantavirus disease surveillance started in the United States, through 2023. There was one case of Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in 2021 and two cases in 2020.

KCCI

90-Second Read: Iowa health experts explain how Hantavirus spreads and why risk is low

May 13, 9:12 PM EDT

As people remain under observation in Omaha over Hantavirus concerns, Iowa doctors and pest experts say the virus is rare and poses little risk to most residents. As more than a dozen people remain quarantined and under observation inside the National Quarantine Unit in Omaha over Hantavirus, Iowa physicians and pest control experts say Iowans should not be worried about the risk of spread. The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services tells KCCI it is not monitoring passengers from the MV Hondius for Hantavirus symptoms and is not aware of any confirmed Hantavirus cases among Iowa residents associated with the situation. Aneesa Afroze, an infectious disease specialist at MercyOne Medical Center and the center's director of infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship.

NBC News

90-Second Read: Americans exposed to Hantavirus remain in quarantine as testing and monitoring for symptoms continue

May 13, 7:45 PM EDT

David Fitter, incident manager for the agency's Hantavirus response, said they're still in the process of interviewing each of the passengers to determine how closely they were exposed to the Andes Hantavirus while on board the cruise ship. A CDC lab in Atlanta is now analyzing a blood sample taken from a second passenger in the National Quarantine Center in Omaha, Nebraska, after an initial test showed a "mildly positive" result for the Andes Hantavirus. For now, the CDC recommends testing only for people who have been exposed to Hantavirus and are having symptoms. At a briefing Wednesday, the CDC said it is encouraging the passengers to stay in the quarantine until the end of the 42-day incubation period, which started on May 11, the day they disembarked from the cruise ship.

WOWT

90-Second Read: CDC says previously confirmed Hantavirus case brought to Nebraska Medicine now ‘inconclusive’

May 13, 3:47 PM EDT

The CDC gave an update Wednesday afternoon on the cruise passengers brought to Nebraska Medicine in Omaha after they were exposed to Hantavirus. The release stopped short of confirming that the person had officially tested negative for Hantavirus. A plane carrying 18 Americans exposed to Hantavirus on a cruise ship in Spain arrived at Eppley Airfield just before 2:30 a.m. CDC officials would not say during Wednesday's update whether the passengers are required to stay at the facilities, but have been encouraged to remain there, where they're being monitored and assessed, rather than quarantine at home.

Scientific American

90-Second Read: Why we shouldn't rule out airborne spread of Hantavirus

May 13, 3:30 PM EDT

The Andes type of the Hantavirus is spread by "close contact," but it's unclear how much of that transmission occurs by inhaling airborne droplets or other means Can Hantavirus spread through the air? There are a handful of studies that have investigated how the Andes Hantavirus spreads, and there have been past outbreaks where person-to-person spread was observed. Still, if Hantavirus can spread through the air, that's important for containing the pathogen as the ship's passengers return to their respective countries and quarantine. Clues from past outbreaks and knowledge about how respiratory pathogens work could inform efforts to contain the virus as the ship's passengers and others who may have been exposed are monitored for signs of infection for up to 42 days, the incubation period of Andes virus.

Forbes

90-Second Read: Public Health Officials Believe The Hantavirus Outbreak Is Under Control

May 13, 2:15 PM EDT

In this week's edition of InnovationRx, we look at the latest on the Hantavirus outbreak, using quantum physics for metabolic MRIs, how AI can help fill prescriptions and more. H ow worried should we be about the Hantavirus outbreak? That's why experts think the risk of Hantavirus rising to the level of a pandemic crisis like COVID-19 is low. Tedros Ghebreyesus told reporters on Monday that there's "no sign we are seeing the start of a larger outbreak," while acknowledging that the "situation could change." There are complications.

KTAR News 92.3 FM

90-Second Read: 2nd Arizona passenger confirmed from ship with Hantavirus outbreak

May 13, 11:27 AM EDT

Arizona health officials released new information about local ties to the recent Hantavirus outbreak aboard an Atlantic Ocean cruise ship. Once home, local health officials will regularly monitor the person for symptoms, similar to the situation with the previously reported Arizona passenger. Overall, three deaths from the Andes virus strain of Hantavirus and nine other cases have been confirmed among MV Hondius passengers.

Scientific American

90-Second Read: Hantavirus takes a long time to show symptoms. Experts say more cases could appear

May 13, 7:00 AM EDT

Because symptoms can take weeks to show up, additional cases could still emerge, complicating public health efforts to contact trace possible exposures and transmission chains. Of the 18 passengers who returned this week to the U.S., at least one person has tested positive for the Andes Hantavirus, which has killed three passengers who had been on the 147-person cruise that was diverted to the Canary Islands. On Tuesday the World Health Organization director announced that a total of 11 cases have been reported in the outbreak. The remaining two-a symptomatic person and their spouse who had no symptoms-were transferred to Atlanta for treatment and monitoring.

WBAY

90-Second Read: DHS: Hantavirus risk in Wisconsin is low

May 13, 6:54 AM EDT

According to the state Department of Health Services, there were no Wisconsin passengers on the Atlantic cruise ship where a Hantavirus outbreak originated. Meanwhile, neighboring Illinois is investigating a potential Hantavirus case in Winnebago County, Illinois, which is near the Wisconsin state line. The strain of Hantavirus involved in the cruise ship outbreak is the Andes strain.

CNN

90-Second Read: He was on the trip of a lifetime. Now he’s in a biocontainment unit in Nebraska while Hantavirus cases rise

May 12, 10:26 PM EDT

Now, he's the only MV Hondius passenger in a biocontainment unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center after initially testing positive for Andes Hantavirus. A little over a week since the World Health Organization reported an outbreak of the rare Hantavirus aboard the Hondius, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, a global repatriation effort is still underway for the passengers and crew who were aboard the ship. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Tuesday that 11 cases of Hantavirus have been reported. Before the world became aware of the Hantavirus outbreak on board the Hondius, several people on the ship developed "a flu-like illness" in early April, the oncologist told CNN's "Erin Burnett OutFront" on Tuesday.

NewsNation

90-Second Read: 18 Americans quarantining after Hantavirus outbreak: What we know

May 12, 10:25 PM EDT

At least 18 people are under strict monitoring in the U.S. after disembarking the MV Hondius, the cruise ship at the center of a deadly Hantavirus outbreak. The other is symptomatic but has not tested positive for Hantavirus, according to federal health officials. Public health officials are closely monitoring their residents who were potentially exposed to Hantavirus but weren't notified until after they went home.

WYFF News 4

90-Second Read: 'By all means, go travel': Public health agencies say Hantavirus spread is little cause for concern

May 12, 10:01 PM EDT

Health professionals are addressing public concerns and providing guidance after more than a dozen American passengers exposed to the Hantavirus returned home. Public health officials across the Carolinas are addressing concerns about the spread of Hantavirus after it was confirmed that one person believed to be exposed to the disease lives in North Carolina. The issue is prompting questions and concerns about spread across the Southeast region, but public health officials said there is "little cause for concern." The Andes virus is rare and only spreads through long-term, close-quartered contact. The passenger remains at the National Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, where they are being monitored and assessed over the course of 42 days in case of exposure to Andes virus, the only strain of Hantavirus known to spread through human contact.

Peoria Journal Star

90-Second Read: Potential Hantavirus case in Illinois. Officials reveal the details

May 12, 6:02 PM EDT

Illinois health officials announced Tuesday that they are investigating a potential Hantavirus case, adding that the risk of transmission remains "very low" for residents. The Illinois Department of Public Health said in a statement that it is investigating a potential Hantavirus case that is not linked to the cruise ship outbreak. The CDC reported that the type of Hantavirus responsible for the outbreak on the cruise ship is the Andes virus, the only type of Hantavirus shown to spread from person to person.

WSMV

90-Second Read: Has Hantavirus been found in Tennessee? Here’s what Nashville health officials say about the risk of an outbreak.

May 12, 5:47 PM EDT

In the United States, 18 people are isolating, including two at a hospital in Atlanta, but health officials do not expect an outbreak in Nashville. Esto dicen las autoridades de salud Metro Public Health Department leaders said Hantavirus is very different than COVID, so it isn't expected to spread through crowds on Lower Broadway. Tennessee has only seen two cases of Hantavirus between 1993 and 2023, the latest year of data.

Harvard Gazette

90-Second Read: Hantavirus likely to be fully contained but may take time, Hanage says

May 12, 5:15 PM EDT

In this edited conversation, the Gazette spoke with Hanage, who is also associate director of the Chan School's Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, about the outbreak and his expectation that it will be fully contained, though that will likely take some time. It does indicate, however, that healthcare staff should take care while treating people who have Hantavirus to minimize the potential for transmission. For instance, when you would see cases of COVID-like symptoms developing four or five days apart, you would think, "That's a transmission chain." But in the case of Hantaviruses, it can be weeks. The World Health Organization reports eight cases and three deaths as of May 8.

KOMO

90-Second Read: 3 King County residents possibly exposed to Hantavirus linked to infected cruise ship

May 12, 5:06 PM EDT

Three King County residents are being monitored by public health officials after potential exposure to the Hantavirus linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship. PREVIOUS COVERAGE | How concerned should Seattle cruise passengers be about Hantavirus? Two of the residents were seated on an airplane near an ill cruise ship passenger who was removed from the plane before takeoff and later tested positive for the Andes type of Hantavirus. Public Health, Seattle & King County said it was notified by the Washington State Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that three people were possibly exposed.

WIRED

90-Second Read: Hantavirus Conspiracy Theories Are Already Spreading Online

May 12, 10:53 AM EDT

Conspiracy theorists, wellness influencers, and grifters have already started promoting wild claims about the Hantavirus outbreak that began aboard the MV Hondius, a cruise ship on the Atlantic. Some conspiracy theorists compared the outbreak to the Covid-19 pandemic, claiming it was another effort to control the global population, while others pushed a false narrative that the Covid-19 vaccine caused Hantavirus. Conspiracy theories flooding social media in response to breaking news are nothing new, but what is notable about those being pushed around the Hantavirus outbreak is just how closely they echo the conspiracy theories promoted during the Covid-19 pandemic. In more recent days, many of these same people spreading conspiracy theories have promoted the baseless and antisemitic claims that the entire incident is a false flag orchestrated by Israel.

NBC News

90-Second Read: Hantavirus cases rise to 11 as cruise ship passengers quarantine

May 12, 9:21 AM EDT

Global health officials warn that the number of Hantavirus cases, which was 11 on Tuesday, could rise, as one American who was on the cruise ship at the center of the outbreak revealed new details from his quarantine room. Since the Hondius departed with almost 150 aboard for a nature-sightseeing mission on April 1, nine cases of the Hantavirus have been confirmed by lab results, in addition to two suspected cases. Given Hantavirus's long incubation period of 42 days, "we might see more cases in the coming weeks," said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the World Health Organization. Of the 18 American passengers who arrived stateside this week, two are in biocontainment units "out of an abundance of caution," the Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement.

Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma

90-Second Read: Choctaw Nation Public Health Advisory: Hantavirus Risk Remains Low in Choctaw Nation

May 12, 9:17 AM EDT

Choctaw Nation health officials say local Hantavirus risk remains low while sharing symptoms, prevention tips, and safety guidance. CNPH will continue monitoring the situation to help ensure the risk to public health remains minimal. Again, the risk of Hantavirus remains low within both the Choctaw Nation Reservation and the United States.

USA Today

90-Second Read: Hantavirus can have a long incubation period. Here's what that means

May 12, 9:13 AM EDT

As international health authorities continue to contend with the outbreak that has sickened at least 9, including three deaths, the long incubation period of the virus poses a challenge for quarantine measures. Hantaviruses have relatively long incubation periods, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), taking between 1 and 8 weeks for symptoms to appear. That incubation period means that we can see cases again coming up in the next few days, perhaps even next week. Americans aboard the cruise ship at the center of a deadly Hantavirus outbreak were headed to quarantine on Monday, May 11, after they were evacuated back to the United States.

USA Today

90-Second Read: Map shows which states are monitoring for Hantavirus cases in the US

May 12, 8:35 AM EDT

The strain at the center of the outbreak has been confirmed as the Andes virus, which is believed to spread person-to-person, according to the World Health Organization. Officials in twelve states are monitoring Hantavirus exposures or possible infections as of May 13. Of the Americans, it's unclear which states they all reside in, but some state officials have said they have residents among the 18 quarantining in Nebraska or Georgia.

Tallahassee Democrat

90-Second Read: Is Florida monitoring any cruise ship passengers for Hantavirus?

May 12, 7:59 AM EDT

Officials are continuing to investigate the outbreak of the Andes strain of Hantavirus that caused an outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship that has killed three people. While Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is most common in rural areas of the West, there have been cases throughout the U.S., including Florida, though it's very rare. Hantavirus has been identified in hispid cotton rats in Florida, according to the Florida Department of Health. Seven states are monitoring people who were either exposed to or are exhibiting symptoms of Hantavirus.

BBC

90-Second Read: No sign of larger Hantavirus outbreak, says UN health agency

May 12, 5:35 AM EDT

There is "no sign" of a larger Hantavirus outbreak after the evacuation of the last passengers from a disease-stricken cruise ship, the head of the UN health agency has said. WHO officials previously said the risk of a major outbreak is very low. On Tuesday, Spain's health ministry said one of the 14 Spaniards currently quarantining in Madrid after being evacuated from the vessel had tested positive for Hantavirus. The situation could still change and there might be more confirmed cases, warns the head of the World Health Organization.

CBS News

90-Second Read: Sacramento County resident monitored for possible Hantavirus exposure tied to deadly cruise outbreak

May 12, 2:00 AM EDT

A Sacramento County resident is among four Californians being monitored for possible exposure to the Andes Hantavirus linked to a deadly cruise ship outbreak, state health officials announced. CDPH said three Californians connected to the outbreak were aboard the cruise ship itself, while the Sacramento County resident was identified later through contact tracing tied to the flight. One of the three California residents who was on the cruise ship has returned home and is being monitored in Santa Clara County, health officials said.

The Daily Princetonian

90-Second Read: Two NJ residents potentially exposed to Hantavirus, authorities say risk level remains low

May 11, 10:03 PM EDT

New Jersey health officials said two state residents may have been exposed to the rare Andes strain of Hantavirus linked to a deadly cruise ship outbreak, though no cases have been confirmed in New Jersey, and the public risk remains very low. Two New Jersey residents were potentially exposed to a person with Hantavirus, according to a Friday press release from the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH). The recent outbreak of Hantavirus was caused by the Andes virus, the only known strain that can be transmitted between humans.

KRCR

90-Second Read: Four Californians monitored for rare but potentially deadly Hantavirus

May 11, 9:27 PM EDT

Four Californians are being monitored for Hantavirus, a rare but potentially deadly virus spread to humans through contact with infected rodents.Hantavirus is m SHASTA COUNTY, Calif. Since 1980, 93 California residents have been diagnosed with Hantavirus. Even without confirmed local cases, data from the California Department of Public Health shows parts of Shasta and Tehama counties fall within areas where deer mice have tested positive for the Sin Nombre virus, the strain linked to Hantavirus in California.

ABC30 Fresno

90-Second Read: California health officials monitoring 4 residents exposed to Hantavirus amid outbreak

May 11, 5:48 PM EDT

California health officials on Monday released new information about four residents who were exposed to the Hantavirus and are now being monitored. That person was not on the ship but was exposed to someone who was ill on a plane in South Africa, according to health officials. The two people being monitored in California are not currently showing symptoms, but health officials said it can take up to 42 days for symptoms to appear.

FOX 32 Chicago

90-Second Read: Hantavirus risk in Illinois is ‘very low,’ state health officials say

May 11, 4:13 PM EDT

CHICAGO, As Americans on a ship stricken with a Hantavirus outbreak return home, the threat of the virus to Illinois communities is "very low," according to the state's public health agency. But the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) said on Monday that it had not been notified that any Illinois residents were passengers on that ship during the outbreak. Officials detailed the following passengers: Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which can cause the lungs to fill with fluid, usually presents between one and eight weeks after exposure to an infected rodent.

BBC

90-Second Read: US health officials: Hantavirus risk to Americans 'very low'

May 11, 12:08 PM EDT

Authorities say 18 Americans from the MV Hondius cruise ship have returned to the US, with one testing positive for Hantavirus. US health officials held a press conference after 18 Americans were flown to Nebraska and Georgia from the MV Hondius cruise ship, where one American tested positive for Hantavirus. Correspondent Tom Bateman was in the dining room at the White House Correspondents' Dinner with President Trump and other officials when gunshots were heard. Currently, more than 90 passengers of the MV Hondius ship, docked in Spain's Canary Islands, are being repatriated to their home countries.

11Alive.com

90-Second Read: Two people suspected of having Hantavirus arriving in Atlanta today, airport says

May 11, 9:50 AM EDT

A medical convoy departed Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Monday and went to Emory University Hospital. Officials in Nebraska, speaking at a press conference on the situation in that state, said two people were flown to Atlanta. The officials in Nebraska were asked several times by reporters why two people were separately transported to Atlanta, which they indicated was a decision made for capacity reasons. Those officials said the patients were "under medical evaluation." The Georgia Department of Public Health also said Monday two Georgia residents who had already come back from the cruise and were being monitored were still asymptomatic.

CBS News

90-Second Read: What we know about Hantavirus cases tied to deadly cruise ship outbreak

May 11, 9:49 AM EDT

Health officials have identified at least 11 confirmed or suspected cases of Hantavirus tied to an outbreak on the M/V Hondius cruise ship. Updated on: May 13, 2026 / 8:39 PM EDT / CBS News Health officials around the world are monitoring a deadly Hantavirus outbreak linked to a Dutch-flagged cruise ship. The strain identified in the outbreak on the M/V Hondius cruise ship is called the Andes virus, which is the only known Hantavirus strain to spread person to person. So far, there are at least 11 confirmed or suspected cases connected to the ship, including three deaths.

Al Jazeera

90-Second Read: Where did the Hantavirus outbreak start, and where has it spread?

May 11, 9:33 AM EDT

The US and France are the latest to confirm Hantavirus cases as evacuations from a cruise ship are under way. As passengers are being flown home for testing and monitoring, health officials are racing to determine where and how the outbreak may have started. However, local health officials in Ushuaia said this is unlikely, telling reporters that the area has not recorded a Hantavirus case since 1996. A United States citizen who was on the Hantavirus-hit MV Hondius cruise ship is the latest to test positive for the virus while a French traveller has developed symptoms as the ship is being evacuated and passengers are returning to their home countries.

Newswise

90-Second Read: Ask the Expert: The real risk of Hantavirus | Newswise

May 11, 9:15 AM EDT

In this edition, we address a Hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship. The Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius garnered national attention after patients were sickened by the Andes virus, a strain of Hantavirus. Unlike COVID-19 or influenza, Hantavirus is not typically airborne and is not spread before symptoms appear. No cases have been reported in the U.S., and the risk to Americans remains low.

Anadolu Ajansı

90-Second Read: France confirms 1st Hantavirus case linked to MV Hondius outbreak

May 11, 3:27 AM EDT

In Spain, health authorities said two women hospitalized in Barcelona and Alicante over suspected exposure to Hantavirus tested negative in PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests. Spanish Health Ministry officials said the 14 Spanish passengers who transferred and quarantined at Madrid's Gomez Ulla hospital on Sunday were in good condition. Hantavirus is a rare disease usually transmitted through infected rodents or their droppings, though the strain responsible for this outbreak can also spread between humans.

The Guardian

90-Second Read: British paratroopers land on Tristan da Cunha for suspected Hantavirus case

May 10, 9:30 PM EDT

The UK Health Security Agency confirmed on Friday that a British national had disembarked from the cruise ship MV Hondius to the South Atlantic island of Tristan da Cunha, where they live, with a suspected case of Hantavirus. An RAF A400M transport aircraft flew from RAF Brize Norton, in Oxfordshire, to Ascension Island, supported by an RAF Voyager, before heading to Tristan da Cunha. Tristan da Cunha, in a group of volcanic islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, is Britain's most remote inhabited overseas territory, accessible only by boat, it has no airstrip and a population of 221.

Oregon Public Broadcasting - OPB

90-Second Read: Passengers from Hantavirus-hit cruise ship fly to Madrid as CDC says outbreak threat is low

May 10, 10:46 AM EDT

The first plane carrying passengers from the Hantavirus-hit cruise ship has departed Spain's Canary Islands for the country's capital Madrid, where the passengers will be taken to a military hospital. A Spanish government plane takes off with passengers from the Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius at the airport in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, Sunday, May 10, 2026. Passengers watch as others are disembarked from the Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius at the port of Granadilla in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, Sunday, May 10, 2026. As Hantavirus dominates the headlines, sparking fears of another debilitating pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stressed that the risk of sweeping contagion is small.

WIRED

90-Second Read: Could Contact-Tracing Apps Help With the Hantavirus? Not Really

May 10, 7:00 AM EDT

After three people died on a cruise ship struck by a Hantavirus, authorities are actively tracking down 29 people who had left the ship. Contact tracing also struggled to maintain accuracy, and in some cases could be providing false negatives or positives that don't help further real information about the spread of the virus. Especially in the case of something like the Hantavirus, where every person on that cruise ship can theoretically be directly tracked and contacted, it's better to do that process the hard way.

Earth.com

90-Second Read: Rare Hantavirus outbreak has scientists on edge over fears of a person-to-person global outbreak

May 9, 8:11 PM EDT

A deadly cruise ship outbreak was linked to Andes Hantavirus, a rodent-borne disease that can cause severe lung and kidney illness in humans. Hantavirus has stormed back into global headlines after a deadly outbreak aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius killed three passengers off the coast of West Africa. Today, scientists recognize dozens of Hantaviruses across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. The Hantavirus family is named after Korea's Hantan River.

Inquirer.com

90-Second Read: Experts wonder 'Where is the CDC?' as a Hantavirus outbreak unfolds on a cruise ship

May 9, 12:23 PM EDT

To experts, the situation aboard a cruise ship has not spiraled because, unlike COVID-19 or measles or the flu, Hantavirus does not spread easily. The CDC's diminished role in this outbreak is an indicator the agency is no longer the force in international health or the protector of domestic health that it once was, some experts said. In interviews this week, some experts made a comparison with a 2020 incident involving the Diamond Princess, a cruise ship docked in Japan that became the setting of one of the first large COVID-19 outbreaks outside of China. As American passengers from the ship are evacuated to a Nebraska hospital, the government's top public health agency seems missing in action.

Yahoo

90-Second Read: These are the 6 U.S. states monitoring residents for potential Hantavirus exposure ahead of the cruise ship's Sunday arrival in Tenerife

May 9, 11:35 AM EDT

Officials in Arizona, California, Georgia, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, Texas, Virginia and Washington say they are monitoring residents after potential exposure linked to the MV Hondius... The California Department of Public Health is monitoring four residents who were potentially exposed to the Hantavirus outbreak linked to the cruise ship. Health officials in Kansas are monitoring three people who had a "high-risk exposure" to someone with a confirmed case of Hantavirus, the state Department of Health and Environment announced Tuesday. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an advisory last week warning doctors and state health departments to watch for potential imported cases.

Fortune

90-Second Read: As Hantavirus outbreak unfolds, the CDC is missing in action, experts say. 'I’m very sorry to say that we are not prepared'

May 9, 10:34 AM EDT

But experts say the situation has not spiraled because, unlike COVID-19 or measles or the flu, Hantavirus does not spread easily. Hantavirus was first identified as a cause of sickness of one of the cases on May 2. The World Health Organization swung into action and by Monday was calling it an outbreak. The CDC acted as a mainstay of any international investigation, providing staff and expertise to help unravel any outbreak mystery, develop ways to control it and communicate to the public what they should know and how they should worry.

Medical Xpress

90-Second Read: Hantavirus and tuberculosis cases: Should we be worried?

May 9, 9:00 AM EDT

Recent news reports have highlighted several infectious diseases incidents, including three tuberculosis clusters in Singapore and a suspected Hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is a lung disease seen in the outbreak on the Atlantic cruise ship. Thirteen cases across three clusters over three years is a localized public health concern, but it does not signal a wider outbreak and carries no pandemic potential. Here are responses to these cases by infectious disease experts from Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.

CNBC

90-Second Read: There's little chance of a Hantavirus global outbreak. What the latest odds say

May 9, 8:59 AM EDT

Prediction markets like Kalshi show slim chance that the Hantavirus outbreak will be of international concern For now, prediction market traders aren't too worried about the Hantavirus. The prediction markets platform opened its market on the Hantavirus on Wednesday night, noting it will be resolved if the World Health Organization verifies that the virus is "a public health emergency of international concern" in 2026. Spanish health officials said Friday that a woman in the country's southeastern region has symptoms consistent with Hantavirus, Reuters reported.

LAist

90-Second Read: Contact tracing could be key in halting the spread of Hantavirus. Here's how it works

May 9, 8:00 AM EDT

Here's how authorities are using the practice of contact tracing to contain the outbreak and keep the Hantavirus from spreading. The concept of modern contact tracing dates to the 1930s and was part of an effort to stop the spread of syphilis. Public health officials argue that contact tracing is a powerful approach that will reduce further spread. The risk of further spread of this virus is low since it requires close and prolonged contact with an infected individual, and those infected seem to transmit the virus for only a brief period of time.

Detroit Free Press

90-Second Read: Can you catch Hantavirus in Michigan? What experts say

May 8, 6:25 PM EDT

Global health leaders are scrambling to establish the best protocol for managing an outbreak of the deadly Hantavirus aboard a Dutch cruise ship set to reach land Sunday, May 10, in the Canary Islands. There are several types of Hantavirus that can cause rare, but deadly illnesses, according to the CDC and the University of Michigan Health-Sparrow. Michigan health officials reported just one case of Hantavirus in the state: A woman from Washtenaw County was sickened with the Sin Nombre type of Hantavirus in 2021, which is linked to exposure to the urine, feces and saliva of infected deer mice and white-footed mice. Some of the ship's passengers already have disembarked and returned home, including seven Americans who now are in the states of Arizona, California, Georgia, Texas and Virginia, USA TODAY reported.

Atlanta News First

90-Second Read: CDC declares ‘Level 3′ emergency response to Hantavirus outbreak

May 8, 4:03 PM EDT

The Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has classified the Hantavirus outbreak as a Level 3 emergency, which is the agency's lowest level. A Level 2 designation would require the agency's Hantavirus experts to lead the response with a large number of other experts. The World Health Organization (WHO) considers the risk to the wider public from the outbreak as low, and on Friday, confirmed that a flight attendant on a plane briefly boarded by an infected cruise passenger had tested negative.

Time Magazine

90-Second Read: How to Manage Your Health Anxiety About Hantavirus

May 8, 2:59 PM EDT

A Hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship is triggering COVID flashbacks. Scroll through any newsfeed right now, and you'll see news of a cruise ship with a cluster of fatal Hantavirus cases, and a collective freak-out unfolding in real time. It's too soon to know exactly how the outbreak will play out (though health experts insist that Hantavirus is not COVID, and the risk to the general public is low). Howard Markel, a medical historian and author of books including When Germs Travel: Six Major Epidemics That Have Invaded America Since 1900 and the Fears They Have Unleashed, has spent his career studying how societies respond to health threats.