California Identifies 5th Hantavirus Exposure From MV Hondius as Cruise Outbreak Kills 3
Updated
Updated · Los Angeles Times · May 14
California Identifies 5th Hantavirus Exposure From MV Hondius as Cruise Outbreak Kills 3
14 articles · Updated · Los Angeles Times · May 14
A fifth California resident has been identified as exposed to the Andes hantavirus linked to the MV Hondius, with all five Californians still asymptomatic, state health officials said.
The newly identified passenger left the ship before the outbreak was recognized, briefly returned to California, then traveled to the remote Pitcairn Islands, where CDC and British officials are monitoring the case.
Two exposed Californians are quarantined at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, while two others are being followed by local health officials in Santa Clara and Sacramento counties.
Among passengers, 11 cases have been confirmed and three people have died in what officials describe as the first deadly hantavirus outbreak on a modern cruise ship.
The ship departed Argentina on April 1, the first deaths occurred April 11, and the outbreak was not identified until May 2; officials say the full toll remains unclear because incubation can last up to 6 weeks.
Is the first hantavirus outbreak on a modern cruise ship a freak accident or a chilling warning for all travelers?
How did a passenger exposed to a deadly virus travel from a cruise to one of the world's most remote islands?
After a deadly cruise outbreak, why are US and European quarantine protocols for passengers so radically different?
MV Hondius 2026 Hantavirus Outbreak: Human-to-Human Transmission, Global Health Measures, and Climate Change Risks
Overview
In May 2026, a hantavirus outbreak was detected on the cruise ship MV Hondius, which began its journey from Ushuaia, Argentina, and traveled through remote locations before reaching waters off Cabo Verde. The outbreak was caused by the Andes virus, a unique hantavirus capable of limited human-to-human transmission through close and prolonged contact. Illnesses appeared between April 6 and April 28, suggesting infections started early in the voyage. This raised significant public health concerns, prompting international attention and a coordinated response from organizations like the WHO and CDC to monitor and contain the spread.