Health officials around the world are closely watching a cruise ship outbreak involving a rare and dangerous disease called hantavirus after three passengers died and several others became infected.
The World Health Organization has now classified everyone on board the cruise ship MV Hondius as high-risk contacts who should be actively monitored for more than a month.
The outbreak has drawn international attention because the specific virus involved appears to be the Andes virus, which is the only known type of hantavirus that can spread from one person to another. Most hantaviruses usually spread only through contact with infected rodents or their waste.
The World Health Organization announced that all passengers and crew members on the ship should be monitored for 42 days after their last possible exposure to infected individuals. Health officials say this monitoring period is necessary because symptoms may not appear immediately after infection.
The MV Hondius, carrying nearly 150 people, was heading toward waters near Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands after the outbreak was discovered. Three passengers have already died, including a Dutch husband and wife and a German woman. Officials have also identified several confirmed and suspected cases among others on board.
Maria Van Kerkhove, director of epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention at the World Health Organization, explained that everyone on the ship is considered a high-risk contact because of the possibility of exposure during the voyage.
At the time of the announcement, health officials said there were no additional passengers or crew members showing symptoms. However, WHO still recommended close medical follow-up for everyone who leaves the ship.
Van Kerkhove stressed that the risk to the general public and to residents of the Canary Islands remains low. Health authorities believe the outbreak is currently limited to the ship itself, and they are working carefully to prevent any wider spread.
Hantaviruses are a group of viruses mainly carried by rodents such as rats and mice. People usually become infected by breathing in tiny particles contaminated with rodent urine, droppings, or saliva. In many cases, hantavirus infections are rare but can become very serious.
Different types of hantavirus exist around the world. In North and South America, some forms can cause severe lung disease known as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Symptoms often begin with fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headaches, and nausea before progressing to severe breathing problems.
The Andes virus, first identified in South America, is unusual because it can sometimes spread directly between people through close contact. This ability to spread from person to person has made health experts especially cautious during the cruise ship outbreak.
The World Health Organization said it is coordinating with multiple countries because passengers and crew members come from different nations. WHO officials are working with Spain, the Netherlands, the ship operator, and health experts worldwide to organize safe evacuation and monitoring procedures.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is reportedly traveling to Tenerife to help coordinate the response and oversee the disembarkation process.
Health officials explained that passengers showing symptoms would be transferred immediately to medical evacuation flights and transported to the Netherlands for treatment. Passengers without symptoms are expected to return to their home countries on specially arranged flights.
Some countries are reportedly discussing shared evacuation flights for their citizens. Officials from countries such as the United States and Canada have been coordinating transportation plans for returning passengers.
Even after passengers leave the ship, the monitoring process will continue for 42 days. Health authorities said the monitoring period begins from the person’s last exposure to a confirmed or suspected case.
During this period, people may be asked to regularly check their temperature, report symptoms, limit certain activities, or remain in contact with healthcare providers.
The outbreak highlights how quickly infectious diseases can create international concerns, especially in enclosed environments like cruise ships where people spend long periods in close contact.
Cruise ships have previously faced outbreaks involving norovirus, COVID-19, influenza, and other infectious diseases because viruses can spread more easily in crowded settings.
At the same time, experts emphasize that hantavirus outbreaks remain relatively rare compared with many other infectious diseases.
The current situation has also renewed scientific interest in understanding how the Andes virus spreads between humans. Researchers are continuing to study why this specific hantavirus behaves differently from most others.
After reviewing the situation carefully, the WHO response appears highly cautious but understandable given the seriousness of the virus and the uncertainty surrounding person-to-person transmission.
The decision to monitor everyone on board for 42 days reflects the potential severity of the disease and the need to prevent further spread.
However, health officials continue to stress that the wider public risk remains low. Much will depend on whether additional infections appear during the monitoring period and whether investigators can fully trace how transmission occurred on the ship.
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Source: World Health Organization.
