What you need to know about hantavirus (don’t panic)
An apparent hantavirus outbreak on the m/v Hondius near Cabo Verde has resulted in seven suspected cases, including three deaths, with two confirmed by testing. The virus, typically spread by rodents and not commonly found on cruise ships, has prompted efforts to identify the infection source and potential human transmission. Public health authorities are not currently alarmed for the general public but are planning medical evacuations and monitoring the situation closely.
- ▪Hantavirus is primarily transmitted through rodent droppings and urine, not person to person.
- ▪Seven suspected cases of hantavirus have been reported on the m/v Hondius, with three fatalities and two confirmed cases.
- ▪The World Health Organization is planning medical evacuations to the Netherlands, the cruise line's home base.
- ▪Approximately 150 passengers and crew remain confined onboard while health authorities investigate.
- ▪The incubation period for hantavirus can last several weeks, complicating efforts to trace the source of infection.
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NewsletterMorning Rounds What you need to know about hantavirus (don’t panic) The latest on the abortion pill, paternal deaths, and more health news from Morning Rounds Manage alerts for this article Email this article Share this article AFP via Getty Images By Theresa GaffneyMay 5, 2026 Morning Rounds Writer and Reporter Theresa Gaffney[email protected]Theresa Gaffney is the lead Morning Rounds writer and reports on health care, new research, and public policy, with a particular interest in mental health, gender-affirming care, and LGBTQ+ patient communities. You can reach Theresa on Signal at theresagaff.97. Good morning. Yesterday, the writer Yiyun Li won a Pulitzer Prize for her heartbreaking memoir, “Things in Nature Merely Grow.” Lately, I’ve been reading her short stories.
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