health
May 7, 2026
How dangerous is the cruise ship hantavirus outbreak?
After a hantavirus outbreak on board a cruise ship killed three people, RT examines how the virus spreads, how it can be treated, and whether it will become a pandemic
TL;DR
- A hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship has resulted in three deaths, one critical illness, and at least three other symptomatic cases.
- The 'Andes strain' of hantavirus, typically found in Argentina and Chile, causes hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HPS) and has a 40% fatality rate.
- Hantaviruses are carried by rodents and spread to humans through contact with their droppings, urine, or saliva; the Andes strain is also transmissible between humans via close contact.
- Symptoms of HPS include flu-like signs such as fever, fatigue, muscle aches, and shortness of breath, progressing to more severe respiratory and cardiac issues.
- While no widely available vaccine or cure exists, treatment involves supportive medical care; the WHO considers the global risk low.
- Investigations suggest the outbreak may have originated from contact with rodents at a landfill site in Ushuaia, Argentina, before passengers boarded the ship.