The World Health Organization, in an update issued on May 13, has confirmed that the recent Hantavirus outbreak linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius has claimed three lives this year. It said that 11 cases have been reported so far, including eight confirmed infections linked to the Andes virus, the only known Hantavirus strain capable of human-to-human transmission.
Although WHO says hantavirus infections remain relatively rare globally, the current outbreak has drawn international attention because of its connection to the Dutch cruise ship, which had been carrying travellers through the South Atlantic and Canary Islands before becoming linked to one of the most closely watched disease outbreaks of 2026.
