Three people have died and at least eight have been infected with hantavirus aboard a luxury cruise ship that departed from Argentina about a month ago, prompting public health agencies across multiple U.S. states to monitor residents who were passengers on the ill-fated voyage.
The MV Hondius, operated by Netherlands-based Oceanwide Expeditions, carried nearly 150 people when it departed from Argentina on April 1 and made multiple stops across the Atlantic Ocean. Among the dead are a Dutch couple and a German national, according to health officials. Three additional passengers were evacuated from the ship on May 6, 2026.
Monitoring Efforts Across Three States
Public health agencies in Georgia, Arizona and California have begun monitoring residents who returned home after traveling on the cruise ship. The Georgia Department of Public Health said it is monitoring two residents, stating in a May 6, 2026 statement to USA TODAY that "The individuals are currently in good health and show no signs of infection. They are following current recommendations from CDC."
The Arizona Department of Health Services was notified about one resident who had been on the MV Hondius, while the California Department of Public Health said it was alerted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that state residents were also on board the ship, though it did not disclose how many people were being monitored in California. None of the people being monitored have shown signs of illness.
International Response and Quarantine Measures
The World Health Organization said on May 6, 2026, that an eighth hantavirus-linked case was identified among passengers who were aboard the cruise ship. Three of the cases were confirmed by laboratory testing. The ship is expected to dock in Spain's Tenerife, in the Canary Islands, within three days, Spain's Health Minister Monica Garcia said.
Garcia said those still on board were not presenting any symptoms of the disease. Once in Tenerife, if they are still healthy, all non-Spanish citizens will be repatriated to their countries. The 14 Spanish passengers will be quarantined in a military hospital in Madrid. Garcia said the duration of the quarantine will depend on when they potentially had contact with the virus, adding that it has a 45-day incubation period.
Federal Health Officials Assess Risk
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement on May 6, 2026, that the "administration is closely monitoring the situation with U.S. travelers onboard the M/V Hondius cruise ship with confirmed hantavirus." The CDC said, "At this time, the risk to the American public is extremely low," and added, "We urge all Americans aboard the ship to follow the guidance of health officials as we work to bring you home safely."
Hantavirus typically spreads through contact with the urine, feces or saliva of infected rodents and human-to-human transmission is uncommon.
Why This Matters:
The outbreak underscores the vulnerability of passengers on extended international voyages to infectious diseases, particularly when confined to shared spaces for weeks at a time. With a 45-day incubation period, hantavirus presents unique challenges for public health surveillance, requiring extended monitoring of potentially exposed individuals even after they return to their home communities. The coordinated response across multiple states and countries demonstrates the importance of robust public health infrastructure and international cooperation in containing disease outbreaks. For the families of those who died and the dozens still being monitored, the outbreak highlights the need for enhanced health and safety protocols on cruise ships, particularly those traveling to remote regions where rodent exposure may be more likely and medical evacuation more difficult.