WHO Risk Level: Low
ANDES VIRUS (ANDV) CONFIRMED AS CAUSATIVE AGENT/// MV HONDIUS ARRIVING TENERIFE, EVACUATION WITHIN 24 HRS/// 6 CONFIRMED / 8 SUSPECTED / 3 DEATHS (9 MAY 2026)/// 42-DAY MONITORING FOR DISEMBARKED PASSENGERS/// 17 AMERICANS ABOARD, NONE TESTED POSITIVE/// CDC: NO MANDATORY QUARANTINE FOR US PASSENGERS/// ANDES VIRUS (ANDV) CONFIRMED AS CAUSATIVE AGENT/// MV HONDIUS ARRIVING TENERIFE, EVACUATION WITHIN 24 HRS/// 6 CONFIRMED / 8 SUSPECTED / 3 DEATHS (9 MAY 2026)/// 42-DAY MONITORING FOR DISEMBARKED PASSENGERS/// 17 AMERICANS ABOARD, NONE TESTED POSITIVE/// CDC: NO MANDATORY QUARANTINE FOR US PASSENGERS///

Tracking the
Hantavirus Outbreak

Real-time intelligence on the 2026 MV Hondius hantavirus cluster and global surveillance. Data from WHO, CDC, ECDC, and national health authorities.

Current Outbreak Numbers
Confirmed
6
MV Hondius cluster
Suspected
8
Total incl. confirmed
Deaths
3
2 confirmed ANDV
Aboard Ship
147
En route to Tenerife
Countries
8+
Monitoring cases
Dispersed
29-40
Left before lockdown
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MV Hondius Timeline

27 Nov 2025
Index case begins 4-month road trip across Argentina, Chile, Uruguay
1 Apr 2026
MV Hondius departs Ushuaia, Argentina (147-149 aboard)
6 Apr
Earliest symptom onset (WHO range: 6 to 28 Apr)
11 Apr
Death 1: Index case (Dutch male) dies aboard ship
24 Apr
Body removed at Saint Helena; wife disembarks with symptoms
26 Apr
Death 2: Wife (Dutch, 69) dies at Johannesburg hospital; PCR+ confirmed
27 Apr
British male medevac'd from Ascension to Johannesburg ICU
2 May
Death 3: German female dies aboard MV Hondius
2 May
UK IHR notifies WHO; cluster formally reported
6 May
Andes virus confirmed; ship departs Cape Verde for Tenerife
9 May
Ship reaches Tenerife; evacuation to begin within 24 hours
Strain Comparison

Hantavirus Strains & Case Fatality Rates

StrainRegionDiseaseCFRH2H
Andes (ANDV)2026South AmericaHCPS35-50%Yes
Sin Nombre (SNV)North AmericaHCPS38%No
Hantaan (HTNV)East AsiaHFRS5-15%No
Dobrava (DOBV)SE EuropeHFRS5-15%No
ChocloPanamaHCPS~10%No
Laguna NegraParaguayHCPS~15%No
Seoul (SEOV)WorldwideHFRS<1%No
Puumala (PUUV)N. EuropeHFRS<1%No
Key Fact
The Andes virus is the only known hantavirus with documented human-to-human transmission. All other strains spread exclusively through rodent contact.
R0 Estimate (Andes)
2.12
Pre-intervention (2018-19 Argentina). Post-intervention: 0.96
Symptoms & Prevention

Early Phase (Days 1-10)

  • Fever above 38.5°C (101.3°F)
  • Severe muscle aches (thighs, hips, back)
  • Intense fatigue and malaise
  • Headache
  • Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
  • Dizziness and chills

Cardiopulmonary Phase

  • Rapid onset coughing and shortness of breath
  • Pulmonary edema (fluid in lungs)
  • Acute respiratory distress syndrome
  • Cardiovascular shock
  • May need ventilation within hours
  • Often fatal without ICU care

Prevention

  • Avoid contact with rodents and droppings
  • Ventilate enclosed spaces before entry
  • Wet-clean contaminated areas (never dry sweep)
  • Seal building gaps to exclude rodents
  • Store food in sealed containers
  • Seek care immediately if symptoms develop
Global Hantavirus Context

Asia & Pacific

Hantaan, Seoul • HFRS

China accounts for roughly half of all global hantavirus infections. Thousands of HFRS cases annually across China and South Korea.

~50,000+est. annual cases
1-15%CFR range

Europe

Puumala, Dobrava • HFRS

Finland, Germany, Sweden, and the Balkans see regular seasonal outbreaks. Puumala dominates northern Europe with mild disease.

~1,885cases (2023)
<1-15%CFR range

Americas

Andes, Sin Nombre • HCPS

Lower case volume but dramatically higher lethality. Argentina: 101 infections since June 2025, double the prior year. US: 890 HPS cases 1993-2023.

229cases (2025)
25-50%CFR range
Data Sources
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