Hantavirus is drawing global attention

10 MAY 2026

Following a hantavirus outbreak on MV Hondius, the Dutch expedition cruise ship in early May 2026, in which three deaths were reported and at least five others were infected, global attention has once again turned to the group of viruses.
It was travelling from Ushuaia in Argentina across parts of the South Atlantic towards Cape Verde and the Canary Islands when cases were identified among both the passengers and the crew.
Hantavirus had made headlines in 2025 following the passing of Betsy Hackman, wife of renowned American actor Gene Hackman.

Hantavirus

Hantaviruses are a group of viruses mainly carried by rodents such as rats and mice.
Human beings can get infected after coming into contact with infected rodent urine, saliva, or droppings, especially while cleaning or disturbing contaminated areas, which can release virus particles into the air.
Hantavirus infections can affect either the lungs or the kidneys.
Some strains can cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a severe respiratory illness, while others can lead to haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, affecting the kidneys and blood vessels.
WHO states that even though most hantaviruses do not spread from one human to another, the Andes virus strain found in parts of South America has shown some human-to-human transmission, usually among close contacts.
Currently, there is no specific antiviral cure or approved vaccine for hantavirus infection.