By Chidmma Okapa l May 9, 2026
Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer has urged Canadians to avoid contact with rodents and their droppings as health authorities continue monitoring the international hantavirus outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship.
Speaking during a Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) briefing, Dr. Theresa Tam said the overall risk of widespread transmission in Canada remains low, but warned that Canadians should take precautions to reduce possible exposure to hantavirus infections.
Health officials confirmed that several Canadians connected to the outbreak are currently isolating after potential exposure aboard the cruise ship, while additional Canadian passengers remain quarantined onboard as the vessel heads toward Spain’s Canary Islands for medical evacuation procedures.
Dr. Tam advised Canadians to avoid direct contact with rodents, rodent nests, urine, saliva, and droppings, which are the primary sources of hantavirus transmission. Authorities also cautioned against sweeping or vacuuming rodent waste because it can release infectious particles into the air. Instead, officials recommend using disinfectants and wet-cleaning methods when handling contaminated areas.
Hantavirus infections are rare but can become severe, leading to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a dangerous respiratory illness that can cause breathing difficulties, organ failure, and death in serious cases. Symptoms often begin with fever, fatigue, headaches, and muscle pain before progressing to respiratory complications.
The current outbreak has drawn international attention because investigators suspect the Andes strain of hantavirus may be involved. Unlike most hantaviruses, the Andes variant has shown limited human-to-human transmission in previous outbreaks, though health experts stress such spread remains uncommon.
According to international monitoring reports, at least six confirmed infections and several suspected cases have been linked to the cruise ship outbreak, with three deaths reported so far. Multiple countries, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, and South Africa, are now conducting contact tracing and health monitoring of potentially exposed passengers.
Canadian health authorities emphasized that ordinary public activities do not currently pose a significant risk. However, officials encouraged people living in rural or wooded environments to seal holes in homes, safely store food, and promptly remove rodent infestations to minimize exposure risks.
PHAC officials also noted that people who recently traveled aboard the MV Hondius or had close contact with infected individuals are being monitored closely for symptoms during the virus’s incubation period, which can last several weeks.