This is the fifth Disease Outbreak News posting on the Andes hantavirus (ANDV) outbreak linked to the cruise ship M/V Hondius. The outbreak identification followed the notification to the World Health Organization (WHO) on 2 May 2026 of severe acute respiratory illness cases onboard.
Key points
- This is the fifth Disease Outbreak News posting on the Andes hantavirus (ANDV) outbreak linked to the cruise ship M/V Hondius.
- The outbreak identification followed the notification to the World Health Organization (WHO) on 2 May 2026 of severe acute respiratory illness cases onboard.
- On 2 May 2026, in accordance with the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR), WHO received a notification from the National IHR Focal Point (NFP) of the United Kingdom of a cluster of severe acute respiratory illness aboard the Netherlands-flagged cruise ship M/V Hondius, with further details rapidly notified authorities in the Netherlands and South Africa.As of 2 July, a total of 13 cases (12 confirmed and one probable case), including three deaths (two confirmed and one probable), have been reported globally linked to the cruise ship.
- The case fatality ratio for this outbreak to date is 23%.
Why it matters
The ANDV outbreak associated with the MV Hondius cruise ship no longer poses a public health risk and no further related transmission is expected. ANDV remains endemic in South America, and it is associated with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome with substantial case fatality, its transmissibility remains limited, typically requiring close and prolonged exposure, and tends to result in temporally and spatially restricted clusters.
Public guidance
- WHO advises all countries to sustain strong engagement and collaboration to document and learn from this outbreak response, including both successes and operational challenges, and to apply the lessons identified to strengthen preparedness, surveillance including international tracing and follow up of contacts, clinical care, IPC, risk communication, and response capacities for future public health emergencies.WHO further encourages the continuation of epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, and ecological studies to better understand the outbreak, its transmission dynamics, risk factors, and determinants of disease severity.In areas where hantavirus is endemic, WHO recommends strengthening measures to prevent and control transmission through enhanced surveillance, public awareness, environmental management, reduction of exposure to rodent reservoirs and contaminated environments, and early detection, implementation of IPC measures and management of cases.WHO also encourages continued investment in research and development to advance the availability of effective diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines, and to improve preparedness and response capabilities for future hantavirus outbreaks.