Multi-country outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship
Active cluster aboard the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius. As of May 7, 2026 there are 5 PCR-confirmed cases (including a passenger evacuated to Zurich), 3 suspected pending laboratory confirmation, and 3 deaths: the index case died on board on April 11 (remains in Saint Helena pending repatriation to the Netherlands), a German woman died on board on May 2, and a third Dutch death is linked to the cluster. The identified strain is Andes virus (ANDV), the only hantavirus with documented person-to-person transmission. Passengers from 23 nationalities (88 passengers and 59 crew); at least 10 EU/EEA countries monitor disembarked individuals. Primary exposure likely occurred during a bird-watching excursion through Argentina, Chile and Uruguay before embarkation. The ship remains anchored off Praia (Cabo Verde) without disembarkation clearance.
Every number above is backed by the official bulletins detailed below.
Confirmed cases
5 cases confirmed by PCR as Orthohantavirus andesense (Andes virus) as of May 7. WHO confirmed the first 2 on May 4; ECDC added a third on May 6 after post-disembarkation testing. A fourth and fifth case were confirmed in subsequent days, including a passenger evacuated to a Zurich hospital. Symptom onset window: 6–28 April 2026. Clinical presentation: fever, gastrointestinal symptoms and rapid progression to pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Suspected cases
5 suspected cases with compatible symptoms pending laboratory confirmation: 1 critical patient in ICU in South Africa after medical evacuation, 3 individuals with mild symptoms aboard the ship, and 1 additional case detected after disembarkation. All symptomatic passengers and their contacts are under active surveillance.
Based on:
ECDC ECDC · May 6, 2026Deaths
3 deaths reported as of May 7. (1) Index case died on board on April 11; remains in Saint Helena pending repatriation to the Netherlands. (2) German woman died on board on May 2 with pneumonia; cause of death not yet determined but treated as suspected case. (3) Third Dutch national death linked to the cluster. The Dutch couple was likely infected during a bird-watching excursion through Argentina, Chile and Uruguay before embarkation. Lethality of Andes virus in its HCPS form usually exceeds 30%.
Countries involved
- Argentina
- Chile
- Uruguay
- Cabo Verde
- South Africa
- United Kingdom
- Netherlands
- Spain
- Senegal
- Switzerland
Countries linked to the cluster by exposure origin (Argentina, Chile, Uruguay), ship docking (Cabo Verde, Senegal), medical evacuation or residence of monitored passengers (South Africa, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Spain). ECDC additionally monitors passengers disembarked in Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Poland, Portugal and Switzerland.