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On 2 May 2026, a cluster of passengers with extreme respiratory sickness aboard a cruise ship was reported to the World Health Organization. The ship is carrying 147 passengers and crew. As of 4 May 2026, seven circumstances (two laboratory confirmed circumstances of hantavirus and 5 suspected circumstances) have been recognized, together with three deaths, one critically unwell affected person and three people reporting delicate signs. Illness onset occurred between 6 and 28 April 2026 and was characterised by fever, gastrointestinal signs, fast development to pneumonia, acute respiratory misery syndrome and shock. Further investigations are ongoing. The outbreak is being managed via coordinated worldwide response, and contains in-depth investigations, case isolation and care, medical evacuation and laboratory investigations. Human hantavirus an infection is primarily acquired via contact with the urine, faeces, or saliva of contaminated rodents. It is a uncommon however extreme illness that may be lethal. Although unusual, restricted human to human transmission has been reported in earlier outbreaks of Andes virus (a selected species of hantavirus). WHO presently assesses the chance to the worldwide inhabitants from this occasion as low and can proceed to watch the epidemiological scenario and replace the chance evaluation.
On 2 May 2026, WHO obtained notification from the National International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) Focal Point of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (hereafter known as the United Kingdom) relating to a cluster of extreme acute respiratory sickness, together with two deaths and one critically unwell passenger, aboard a Dutch-flagged cruise ship. On 2 May 2026, laboratory testing carried out in South Africa confirmed hantavirus an infection in a single affected person who’s critically unwell and in intensive care. On 3 May, one further loss of life was reported. An extra three suspected circumstances stay on board. As of 4 May, a complete of seven (two confirmed and 5 suspected) circumstances, together with three deaths, have been reported.
The vessel departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on 1 April 2026 and adopted an itinerary throughout the South Atlantic, with a number of stops in distant and ecologically various areas, together with mainland Antarctica, South Georgia, Nightingale Island, Tristan da Cunha, Saint Helena, and Ascension Island. The extent of passenger contact with native wildlife in the course of the voyage, or previous to boarding in Ushuaia stays undetermined. The vessel carries a complete of 147 people, together with 88 passengers and 59 crew members. Onboard passengers and crew characterize 23 nationalities. As of 4 May 2026, the vessel is moored off the coast of Cabo Verde.
Summary of circumstances:
Case 1: An grownup male developed signs of fever, headache, and delicate diarrhoea on 6 April 2026 whereas on board the ship. By 11 April, the case developed respiratory misery and died on board on the identical day. No microbiological checks had been carried out. The physique of the passenger was faraway from the vessel to Saint Helena (a British Overseas Territory) on 24 April.
Case 2: An grownup feminine, who was an in depth contact of case 1, went ashore at Saint Helena on 24 April 2026 with gastrointestinal signs. She subsequently deteriorated throughout a flight to Johannesburg, South Africa, on 25 April. She later died upon arrival on the emergency division on 26 April. On 4 May, the case was subsequently confirmed by PCR with hantavirus an infection. Contact tracing for passengers on the flight has been initiated.
Cases 1 and a couple of, had travelled in South America, together with Argentina, earlier than they boarded the cruise ship on 1 April 2026.
Case 3: An grownup male offered to the ship’s physician on 24 April 2026 with febrile sickness, shortness of breath and indicators of pneumonia. On 26 April, his situation worsened. He was medically evacuated from Ascension to South Africa on 27 April, the place he’s presently hospitalised in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Laboratory testing on an intensive respiratory pathogen panel was adverse; nonetheless, polymerase chain response (PCR) testing confirmed hantavirus an infection on 2 May 2026. Serology, sequencing and metagenomics are ongoing.
Case 4: An grownup feminine, with presentation of pneumonia, died on 2 May 2026. The onset of signs was on 28 April, with fever and a common feeling of being unwell.
Three suspected circumstances have reported excessive fever and/or gastrointestinal signs and stay on board. Medical groups in Cabo Verde are evaluating the sufferers and gathering further specimens for testing.
Authorities from States Parties concerned within the administration of the occasion thus far – Cabo Verde, the Netherlands, Spain, South Africa and the United Kingdom – have initiated coordinated response measures together with:
Hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS), often known as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), is a zoonotic, viral respiratory illness attributable to hantaviruses of the genus Orthohantavirus, household Hantaviridae, order Bunyavirales. More than 20 viral species have been recognized inside this genus. In the Americas, Sin Nombre virus is the predominant explanation for HPS in North America, whereas Orthohantavirus andesense is accountable for most circumstances in South America.
Human Hantavirus an infection is primarily acquired via contact with the urine, faeces, or saliva of contaminated rodents or by touching contaminated surfaces. Exposure sometimes happens throughout actions corresponding to cleansing buildings with rodent infestations, although it might additionally happen throughout routine actions in closely infested areas. Human circumstances are mostly reported in rural settings, corresponding to forests, fields, and farms, the place rodents are current, and alternatives for publicity are better. HPS is characterised by headache, dizziness, chills, fever, myalgia, and gastrointestinal issues, corresponding to nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and belly ache, adopted by sudden onset of respiratory misery and hypotension. Symptoms of HPS sometimes happen from 2-4 weeks after preliminary publicity to the virus. However, signs could seem as early as one week and as late as eight weeks following publicity.
Hantavirus infections are comparatively unusual globally. In 2025 (as of epidemiological week 47), within the Region of the Americas, eight international locations reported 229 circumstances and 59 deaths with a CFR of 25.7%. [1] In the European Region, 1885 hantavirus an infection reported in 2023 (0.4 per 100,000), marking the bottom price noticed between 2019 and 2023.[2] In East Asia, significantly China and the Republic of Korea, Hantavirus haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) continues to account for a lot of hundreds of circumstances yearly, though incidence has declined in latest a long time.
Hantavirus infections are related to a case fatality price of <1–15% in Asia and Europe and as much as 50% within the Americas. While there are not any particular therapy nor vaccines for hantavirus infections, early supportive care and rapid referral to a facility with a whole ICU can enhance survival.
Environmental and ecological components affecting rodent populations can affect illness traits seasonally. Since hantavirus reservoirs are sylvatic rodents, transmission can happen when folks come into contact with rodent habitats.
Although unusual, restricted human‑to‑human transmission of HPS as a result of Andes virus has been reported in group settings involving shut and extended contact. Secondary infections amongst healthcare staff have been beforehand documented in healthcare amenities, although stay uncommon.
WHO presently assesses the chance to the worldwide inhabitants from this occasion as low and can proceed to watch the epidemiological scenario and replace the chance evaluation as extra data turns into obtainable.
WHO advises that States Parties concerned on this occasion proceed efforts in detection, investigation, reporting, case administration, an infection management, and public well being administration on board, together with ship sanitation measures, in shut coordination with the conveyance operator, to forestall and management infections attributable to hantaviruses.
In the context of the present outbreak, passengers and crew members ought to follow frequent hand hygiene, stay vigilant of Hantavirus signs and undertake energetic symptom monitoring for 45 days. Crew should guarantee ample environmental cleansing (avoiding dry sweeping) and air flow within the ship. Passengers and crew members experiencing signs ought to inform medical professionals on board and self-isolate. If respiratory signs are current to follow respiratory etiquette and put on a medical masks.
Vigilance amongst travellers, crew, together with these concerned in implementing ship sanitation measures, or different personnel getting back from areas the place hantavirus is thought to be current, in addition to on conveyances engaged in eco-tourism on a journey from and thru these areas, is crucial.
Early recognition of suspected circumstances, immediate isolation, and constant adherence to really helpful an infection prevention and management measures stay important to guard healthcare personnel.
Diagnosis of HPS is with serologic testing for IgM or rising titres of IgG antibodies utilizing enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) or with reverse transcriptase polymerase chain response (RT–PCR) to detect viral RNA.
In healthcare environments, normal precautions* needs to be utilized for all sufferers, together with hand hygiene and protected dealing with of blood and physique fluids. In addition to plain precautions, transmission-based precautions needs to be applied for administration of suspect or confirmed circumstances. Standard precautions mixed with droplet precautions throughout shut contact are thought-about enough. Routine airborne precautions are usually not sometimes required, besides throughout aerosol‑producing procedures. [3]
When HPS is suspected, sufferers needs to be promptly transferred to an emergency division or intensive care unit for shut monitoring and supportive administration.
Initial administration ought to embody supportive care with antipyretics and analgesics as wanted. For confirmed hantavirus, antibiotics are usually not routinely indicated. However, earlier than a definitive analysis is established (and bacterial an infection is a diagnostic risk), or if superadded bacterial an infection is suspected, empiric broad-spectrum antibiotics could also be acceptable. Clinical administration depends totally on cautious fluid administration, hemodynamic monitoring, and respiratory help. Given the fast development of HCPS, shut monitoring and early switch to ICU are vital for extra extreme circumstances. Mechanical air flow, meticulous quantity management, and vasopressors could also be required. For extreme cardiopulmonary insufficiency, extracorporeal mechanical oxygenation could also be lifesaving. In extreme circumstances of renal dysfunction, dialysis could also be required.
Although ribavirin has proven efficacy towards hantavirus haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, it has not demonstrated effectiveness for HCPS and isn’t licensed for both therapy or prophylaxis of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. At current, there is no such thing as a particular antiviral therapy accepted for HCPS.
Public well being consciousness efforts ought to concentrate on bettering early detection, guaranteeing well timed therapy, and decreasing publicity dangers. Preventive measures ought to handle occupational and ecotourism-related exposures, emphasize normal and transmission-based an infection prevention and management practices, and embody rodent management methods. Most routine tourism actions carry little or no threat of publicity to rodents or their excreta.
The potential for human-to-human transmission needs to be thought-about in areas the place Andes and doubtlessly different South American hantaviruses are endemic.
Individuals partaking in outside actions the place endemic transmission is thought, corresponding to visiting rural areas, tenting or mountaineering, ought to take precautions to minimise potential publicity to infectious supplies.
Risk communication and group engagement interventions ought to prioritize clear, well timed, and culturally acceptable communication to lift consciousness of hantavirus transmission dangers—significantly publicity to rodent excreta in endemic areas—and promote sensible preventive behaviours corresponding to protected meals storage, avoiding contact with rodents, wet-cleaning strategies (no dry sweeping), and correct air flow. Community engagement methods ought to contain native leaders and staff in high-risk occupations to co-develop and disseminate tailor-made messages, handle misinformation, and reinforce early care searching for.
Surveillance for HPS needs to be built-in right into a complete nationwide surveillance system and embody medical, laboratory, and environmental parts. The implementation of built-in environmental administration methods aimed toward decreasing rodent populations can also be really helpful.
*Standard precautions confer with a set of practices which might be utilized to the care of sufferers, whatever the state of an infection (suspicion or affirmation), in anywhere the place well being companies are offered. These practices intention to guard each healthcare professionals and sufferers and embody hand hygiene, use of private protecting gear, respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette, protected dealing with of sharps supplies, protected injection practices, use of sterile devices and gear and cleansing of hospital environments and the surroundings. Adapted from “Standard precautions for the prevention and control of infections: aide-memoire”- WHO, 2022. Available at
WHO advises towards the applying of any journey or commerce restrictions based mostly on the present data obtainable on this occasion.
[1] Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO). Epidemiological Alert Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS).
[2] Hantavirus an infection – Annual Epidemiological Report for 2023.
[3] Standard precautions for the prevention and management of infections: aide-memoire.
Citable reference: World Health Organization (4 May 2026). Disease Outbreak News. Hantavirus cluster linked to cruise ship travel- Multi-country. Available at:
This web page was created programmatically, to learn the article in its unique location you possibly can go to the hyperlink bellow:
https://reliefweb.int/report/world/disease-outbreak-news-hantavirus-cluster-linked-cruise-ship-travel-multi-country-4-may-2026
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This web page was created programmatically, to learn the article in its authentic location you…
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