Outbreak page

MV Hondius Current Status and Latest Hantavirus Update

Current status, latest official update, ship status, passenger numbers and full timeline for the 2026 MV Hondius Andes virus cluster. Compiled from WHO, ECDC and CDC.

Current Status — verified 2026-05-30

Per WHO Disease Outbreak News (DON604), 28 May 2026, the MV Hondius cluster stands at 13 total cases (11 confirmed Andes virus, 2 probable) and 3 deaths. Contacts are monitored through 2026-06-21. Following passenger disembarkation and repatriation, MV Hondius arrived in Rotterdam with 27 crew members on board.

Latest update: 2026-05-28 — WHO DON604: 13 cases, 3 deaths, Rt 0.7.

Outbreak Snapshot

Current Case Count

Total

13

Confirmed + probable + inconclusive + suspected

Confirmed

11

Lab-confirmed Andes virus

Probable

2

Symptomatic, epi-linked

Inconclusive

0

Pending final classification

Deaths

3

Cluster-linked deaths

Monitoring Period

WHO recommends a 42-day monitoring window after last exposure (10 May 2026). Monitoring runs through 2026-06-21.

What Happened: Outbreak Summary

The MV Hondius, a Netherlands-flagged expedition cruise ship operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on 1 April 2026 for an Antarctic and South Atlantic voyage. The first illness onset was reported on 6 April; the first death occurred on board on 11 April and was initially attributed to natural causes.

As the ship crossed the Atlantic, additional passengers and crew fell ill. WHO was notified of a severe respiratory illness cluster on 2 May 2026 and published its first Disease Outbreak News on 4 May. Laboratory sequencing identified the cause as Andes virus — the only hantavirus with documented limited person-to-person transmission, which is why contacts are monitored so closely.

The ship reached the Port of Granadilla, Tenerife, on 10 May for disembarkation and repatriation. Passengers were flown to their home countries for 42-day monitoring, and the MV Hondius continued to Rotterdam, arriving 18 May with 27 crew on board.

As currently reported: 13 total cases (11 confirmed, 2 probable, 0 inconclusive), 3 deaths, with contacts monitored through 2026-06-21.

Ship Route Map

Public reporting compiled from WHO Disease Outbreak News and ECDC updates. Markers show key voyage points; the polyline is illustrative.

  • 2026-04-01 — Ushuaia, Argentina

    Reported voyage departure point for Antarctic and Atlantic itinerary.

    Source

  • 2026-04-06 — South Atlantic voyage segment

    Earliest illness onset date reported in WHO outbreak notice.

    Source

  • 2026-05-02 — MV Hondius, South Atlantic

    Cluster of severe respiratory illness reported to WHO.

    Source

  • 2026-05-06 — Cabo Verde

    Medical evacuation of suspected and confirmed patients.

    Source

  • 2026-05-10 — Port of Granadilla, Tenerife, Canary Islands

    MV Hondius arrived for disembarkation and repatriation operations.

    Source

  • 2026-05-12 — En route to the Netherlands

    WHO stated the ship was on its way to the Netherlands after passengers left Tenerife.

    Source

  • 2026-05-18 — Rotterdam, Netherlands

    ECDC reported that MV Hondius arrived in Rotterdam with 27 crew members on board.

    Source

Passenger and Crew Status

Confirmed, Probable, Repatriated, and Monitoring

Confirmed

11

Probable

2

Inconclusive

0

Deaths

3

Repatriated

~122

Under monitoring

~122

Crew onboard

27

Case totals use WHO DON604 (data as of 27 May 2026): 13 total cases, 11 confirmed, 2 probable, 3 deaths. More than 600 contacts (53% high-risk, 47% low-risk) are monitored across 32 countries, territories and areas. Repatriated and monitoring numbers are tracker operational estimates from public WHO/ECDC updates.

Detailed Timeline

Public Health Response Events

  1. Earliest reported illness onset

    WHO later reported illness onset among cases occurred between 6 and 28 April 2026.

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  2. WHO notified of cluster

    A cluster of severe respiratory illness aboard MV Hondius was reported to WHO.

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  3. WHO publishes first Disease Outbreak News

    WHO reported seven cases, including two laboratory-confirmed hantavirus cases and three deaths.

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  4. CDC issues MV Hondius statement

    CDC said the risk to the American public was extremely low and linked readers to hantavirus and Andes virus information.

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  5. WHO update identifies Andes virus

    WHO reported eight total cases, including six confirmed and two probable cases, with all confirmed cases identified as Andes virus.

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  6. MV Hondius arrives in Tenerife

    The ship arrived at the port of Granadilla, Tenerife, for disembarkation and repatriation.

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  7. WHO reports 11 cases and 3 deaths

    WHO reported 11 cases among passengers or crew: 9 confirmed Andes virus infections, 2 probable cases, and 3 deaths.

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  8. ECDC daily update keeps total at 11 cases

    ECDC reported 11 total cases: 8 confirmed, 2 probable, 1 inconclusive, 0 suspected, and 3 deaths, with no new cases or deaths since the previous update.

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  9. Australian passengers land for quarantine

    Australian CDC reported that six MV Hondius passengers landed at RAAF Base Pearce and moved to the Bullsbrook Centre for National Resilience; none had tested positive at the time of the update.

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  10. Canada reports one presumptive positive case

    PHAC reported one presumptive positive Andes virus case among returning Canadian passengers, with the traveller isolated in hospital and clinically stable.

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  11. Canada confirms the MV Hondius-linked case

    PHAC confirmed one Canadian MV Hondius passenger positive through laboratory testing; a travelling partner tested negative and no further Canadian cases had been identified.

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  12. ECDC keeps total at 12 cases

    ECDC reported 12 total cases: 9 confirmed, 2 probable, 1 inconclusive, 0 suspected, and 3 deaths, with no new deaths since the previous update.

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  13. MV Hondius arrives in Rotterdam

    ECDC reported that MV Hondius arrived in Rotterdam with 27 crew members on board after passenger disembarkation and repatriation.

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  14. WHO DON604: 13 cases, 3 deaths, Rt 0.7

    WHO published its fourth Disease Outbreak News. As of 27 May 2026, 13 total cases (11 laboratory-confirmed Andes virus, 2 probable) and 3 deaths (case fatality ratio 23%) were reported. Three additional confirmed cases since 13 May (one each from Canada, the Netherlands, and Spain, identified through contact follow-up and routine weekly testing); a previously inconclusive U.S. case tested negative on 15 May and was removed from the count. More than 600 contacts (53% high-risk) are monitored across 32 countries, territories and areas. The effective reproduction number was estimated at 0.7 as of 22 May, indicating declining transmission.

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Case Definitions Used Here

Confirmed case
Symptomatic person with laboratory confirmation of Andes virus by RT-PCR or serology, per WHO/ECDC criteria.
Probable case
Symptomatic person epidemiologically linked to a confirmed or probable case without lab confirmation yet.
Inconclusive case
Reported case where available public-health updates have not assigned a final confirmed or probable classification.
Suspected case
Person with exposure history aboard MV Hondius and fever plus respiratory, gastrointestinal, or muscle symptoms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Methodology and Sources

Manual Updates Twice Daily

This page is manually updated. Counts use the latest official source by date; WHO briefings anchor the outbreak narrative, while ECDC daily updates are used for the latest status split. CDC is used for clinical and transmission context. See methodology.

Primary Sources