What Is Hantavirus, Suspected in Three Deaths on a Cruise Ship?

Three people aboard the Dutch-operated cruise ship MV Hondius have died in a suspected outbreak of Hantavirus, a rare infection transmitted from rodents to humans, authorities said.

On Monday, the World Health Organization (WHO) said the risk to the broader public from Hantavirus remains low, despite the deaths on the MV Hondius.

The MV Hondius was traveling from Ushuaia, Argentina, to Cape Verde. The ship is currently anchored off Cape Verde and considering a move to Las Palmas or Tenerife to disembark passengers, according to Reuters on Monday.

Three people on board have been confirmed dead, though all are only suspected cases of Hantavirus. Three others are ill. Of those, only one—a British national—has been confirmed to have the virus.

In a statement on Sunday, the WHO said one Hantavirus case has been confirmed and at least five other passengers are suspected to be infected. “Of the six affected individuals, three have died and one is currently in intensive care in South Africa,” the WHO said. “Detailed investigations are ongoing, including laboratory testing and epidemiological investigations. Medical support and care are being provided for passengers and crew. Viral sequencing is also underway.” The WHO added it is “facilitating coordination” among countries to evacuate two other passengers who have symptoms.

Earlier on Sunday, South Africa’s National Department of Health reported an outbreak of “severe acute respiratory illness” that had killed at least two people, with a third in intensive care in Johannesburg, according to AFP. Department spokesperson Foster Mohale confirmed the patient treated in Johannesburg tested positive for Hantavirus. Mohale told reporters that authorities had not confirmed the nationalities of the deceased. The person in intensive care was reported by AFP and British media to be a 69-year-old British man. A 70-year-old man was the first to develop symptoms. He died on board, and his body was transferred to the British overseas territory of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic. The patient’s 69-year-old wife also became ill and was evacuated to South Africa but died at a hospital in Johannesburg.

Hantavirus is a family of viruses that cause two types of disease. One, known as Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), primarily affects the lungs. The other, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), attacks the kidneys. The first is the more widely noted, with a fatality rate of about 40%. The fatality rate for the second ranges from 1% to 15% of patients, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Authorities have not confirmed which of the two diseases has spread on the cruise ship, but international media have reported it is likely the pulmonary form of Hantavirus.

The virus is most commonly spread through infected rodents, which can carry the virus in their urine, saliva, or droppings. When these materials dry and become airborne, humans can become infected by inhaling contaminated particles. Hantavirus can be transmitted directly between humans, although this is very rare, according to the WHO. The virus’s name comes from the Hantan River area in South Korea, where the infection was identified in the 1970s, according to The Lancet medical journal. Studies indicate that Hantavirus has existed for centuries, with recorded outbreaks in Asia and Europe. It was not until the early 1990s that a previously unknown group of Hantaviruses emerged in the southwestern United States, causing the acute respiratory illness now called Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. The CDC began tracking the virus after a 1993 outbreak in the Four Corners region, where the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah meet.

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is most commonly seen in North and South America. According to the Canadian government, about 200 cases of Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome occur worldwide each year. Concert pianist Betsy Arakawa, the wife of actor Gene Hackman, died of Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in New Mexico in 2025, according to autopsy results. In the Eastern Hemisphere, HFRS-related hemorrhagic fever and kidney failure are more commonly reported.

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome typically begins with flu-like symptoms, such as fatigue and fever, one to eight weeks after exposure, according to the CDC. Four to 10 days later, coughing, shortness of breath, and fluid in the lungs appear. Diagnosis within the first 72 hours after infection is difficult, the CDC says, and symptoms can easily be mistaken for influenza. HFRS usually develops within one to two weeks after exposure.

There is no specific therapy for Hantavirus infection, so treatment focuses on supportive care, including rest and hydration. In cases of Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, patients may require respiratory support, such as a ventilator. Experts say exposure to Hantavirus can be minimized by preventing and removing rodents from human areas. Avoid sweeping or vacuuming dry droppings, which can aerosolize the virus.

The WHO said Hantavirus poses a low risk to the general public. “The risk to the public remains low. No panic or travel restrictions are needed,” Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, said in a statement.