Hantavirus: What You Need to Know
As of May 11, 2026, one American among 18 US citizens repatriated from the cruise ship MV Hondius has tested positive for the Andes virus — a rare and potentially deadly strain of hantavirus. The patients landed at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska and are being assessed at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, the only federally funded national quarantine unit in the country.
BREAKING — MAY 11, 2026
As of May 11, 2026, one American among 18 US citizens repatriated from the cruise ship MV Hondius has tested positive for the Andes virus — a rare and potentially deadly strain of hantavirus. The patients landed at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska and are being assessed at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, the only federally funded national quarantine unit in the country.
WHAT IS HANTAVIRUS?
Hantaviruses are a family of viruses carried primarily by rodents that can infect humans through contact with infected animals or their droppings, urine, or saliva. There are two main disease syndromes: Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) — caused by New World strains like Sin Nombre and Andes viruses — primarily attacks the lungs with a fatality rate of approximately 38–40%. Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS) — caused by Old World strains — primarily damages the kidneys. The current outbreak involves the Andes virus, which causes HPS.
Key facts: ~40% case fatality rate for HPS. Incubation period of 1–8 weeks. 850+ HPS cases reported in the US since 1993. No approved vaccines or antiviral treatments exist.
HOW DOES HANTAVIRUS SPREAD?
Under normal circumstances, hantavirus does not spread from person to person. Infection occurs when a person inhales microscopic particles from rodent droppings, urine, or saliva.
The Andes virus is the singular critical exception — it is the only known hantavirus strain with documented human-to-human transmission, typically requiring close, prolonged contact. This unique property made the MV Hondius outbreak alarming to public health officials worldwide.
SYMPTOMS
HPS progresses in distinct phases. Early symptoms are easily mistaken for flu or COVID-19. Symptoms begin 1–8 weeks after exposure: fever and chills, severe muscle aches (thighs, hips, back), fatigue and headache, nausea/vomiting/diarrhea, shortness of breath (develops 4–10 days in), rapid progression to respiratory failure, low blood pressure and shock, and fluid accumulation in the lungs.
CRITICAL: HPS can deteriorate from flu-like symptoms to respiratory failure within 24–48 hours. There is no specific antiviral treatment. Intensive care — including mechanical ventilation and ECMO — is the only intervention. Early hospitalization is essential for survival.
DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT
Diagnosis is confirmed through PCR blood testing or antibody testing. The American passenger's positive result was described by HHS as "mildly positive," suggesting early-stage infection without symptoms.
There is no approved antiviral drug for hantavirus. Treatment is entirely supportive: oxygen therapy, mechanical ventilation, blood pressure management, and fluid balance. Patients who survive the critical window typically recover fully.
PUBLIC RISK: The WHO, CDC, and ECDC all emphasize that the risk to the general public is extremely low. Hantavirus does not spread easily. There have been no cases linked to community contact.
PREVENTION
In everyday US settings, hantavirus risk comes from rodent exposure. Precautions: seal rodent entry points in your home, never sweep or vacuum rodent droppings dry, wet-clean infested areas with bleach solution, wear gloves and an N95 mask when cleaning, ventilate cabins and shelters before entering, store food in rodent-proof containers.
Highest-risk US areas: Most cases occur in the western states, particularly the Four Corners region (Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico), where the deer mouse — primary carrier of Sin Nombre virus — is common.
OUTBREAK BREAKDOWN: MV HONDIUS
As of May 11, 2026: 7 confirmed cases, 2 probable cases, 3 deaths (Dutch couple + German woman), ~150 passengers from 23 nationalities, 1 US positive case (mild PCR, no symptoms), CDC Alert Level 3.
TIMELINE:
Nov 2025–Apr 1, 2026 — Index case travels South America. A Dutch passenger completes a four-month road trip through Chile, Uruguay, and Argentina, believed to have been exposed to an infected rodent.
April 1, 2026 — MV Hondius departs Ushuaia, Argentina. The Dutch-flagged expedition cruise ship departs with ~150 passengers on a 33-day voyage through Antarctica and remote South Atlantic islands.
April 6–28, 2026 — First cases develop on board. Multiple passengers develop fever, GI symptoms, and respiratory illness. The Dutch index case dies April 11; his body is removed at Saint Helena on April 24, where his wife also disembarks severely ill.
April 24–26, 2026 — Two more deaths; international evacuation begins. The index case's wife dies April 26 at a Johannesburg hospital. A British passenger is evacuated to South Africa in critical but stable condition.
May 2–4, 2026 — WHO notified; Andes virus confirmed. The UK reports the cluster to the WHO on May 2. Gene sequencing identifies the Andes virus specifically — the only hantavirus with human-to-human transmission capability.
May 6–9, 2026 — Ship denied entry; diplomatic standoff. The Canary Islands president initially refuses to allow docking in Tenerife; Spain's national government overrules him. Switzerland confirms a case in Zurich. CDC deploys epidemiologists at Level 3 emergency.
May 10–11, 2026 — Mass repatriation; American tests positive. 18 US citizens fly to Offutt AFB on a government medical repatriation flight. One tests mildly PCR positive without symptoms; a second develops mild symptoms. Both travel in biocontainment units. WHO Director-General Tedros states: "This is not another COVID."
COUNTRIES AFFECTED: United States (1 confirmed, 1 symptomatic), Netherlands (index case, deceased), France (1 confirmed, condition deteriorating), Germany (1 confirmed death on board), Switzerland (1 confirmed in Zurich), United Kingdom (1 critically ill, evacuated to South Africa), South Africa (multiple patients in ICU), Spain (managed evacuation in Tenerife).
THE US RESPONSE: The University of Nebraska Medical Center was selected due to its unique status as the only federally funded national quarantine unit in the country — the same facility that managed Ebola patients in 2014 and early COVID evacuees from the Diamond Princess in 2020. Two highest-risk Americans were also transferred to Atlanta for further CDC evaluation.