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A series of hantavirus infections affected the Dutch-flagged vessel MV Hondius while it was navigating the southern Atlantic, making stops at various locales en route.
American passengers who were confined to the ship have now been transferred to Nebraska. Furthermore, several Americans who had left the cruise at a prior port are under observation in other states.
- As of May 12, the World Health Organization reports that nine confirmed and two suspected instances of hantavirus infection have been linked to a voyage on the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius. The vessel commenced its current journey from Argentina on April 1. Three fatalities have been recorded.
- Following their disembarkation at Tenerife on Sunday, May 10, the remaining passengers and some crew members aboard the MV Hondius have returned to their home countries via chartered flights. Fifteen American citizens and one British national have been taken to a quarantine facility in Nebraska, where they will undergo assessment for symptoms and exposure risk. Two individuals have been conveyed to Emory University’s Serious Communicable Diseases Unit in Atlanta.
- In addition, several dozen individuals disembarked the ship on St. Helena on April 24. Among these passengers are seven Americans, who are now being monitored across five different states.
- Hantavirus infections in humans are comparatively infrequent, but when they do manifest, they can be fatal. The majority of hantavirus infections in people originate from contact with infected rodents. Nevertheless, the specific hantavirus responsible for this outbreak — the Andes virus — is also known for its capacity to transmit between individuals.
- The WHO and the U.S. CDC have stressed that this outbreak presents a minimal risk to the general population.