By Chidmma Okapa l May 9, 2026
Spanish health authorities have confirmed new hantavirus-related infections linked to the ongoing outbreak aboard the Dutch expedition cruise ship MV Hondius, as international agencies intensify efforts to contain the deadly virus and trace exposed passengers across several countries.
The World Health Organization (WHO) disclosed that at least six confirmed cases and two probable infections have now been tied to the vessel, which has been sailing toward Spain’s Canary Islands after being denied docking access in Cape Verde earlier this week. Reports indicate that three people connected to the outbreak have died, while several others remain hospitalized in Europe and Africa.
The MV Hondius, operated by Dutch company Oceanwide Expeditions, departed Ushuaia, Argentina, in April for a polar expedition cruise through Antarctica and remote South Atlantic islands before the outbreak emerged onboard. Health investigators believe the infections may involve the Andes strain of hantavirus, a rare variant capable of limited human-to-human transmission.
Spanish officials confirmed that one suspected case was detected in Spain involving a woman believed to have been exposed after sitting near an infected passenger during an international flight. Authorities are now conducting extensive contact tracing operations as concerns grow over possible secondary transmission.
According to WHO reports, the ship is expected to anchor off Tenerife in the Canary Islands rather than dock directly at port. Emergency medical teams in protective gear are preparing a large-scale offshore evacuation and quarantine operation aimed at preventing contact between passengers and the local population. Spanish nationals aboard the vessel are expected to be transferred to medical facilities in Madrid, while foreign passengers will be repatriated under international health protocols.
The outbreak has sparked alarm internationally because hantaviruses are typically transmitted through exposure to infected rodent urine, droppings, or saliva, with human-to-human spread considered extremely rare. However, health experts say the Andes strain found mainly in South America has previously shown the ability to spread through prolonged close contact between people.
Passengers aboard the ship have reportedly been confined to cabins under strict isolation measures, with onboard activities drastically reduced as medical personnel monitor symptoms among travelers and crew members. Several countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, South Africa, and Spain, are now monitoring citizens who may have been exposed during the voyage.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has already classified the incident as a Level 3 emergency response and announced plans to quarantine American passengers returning from the ship. Officials say none of the monitored U.S. passengers have yet shown symptoms.
Despite growing concern, WHO officials continue to stress that the overall public risk remains low. The organization noted that sustained person-to-person transmission of hantavirus remains uncommon and that existing evidence suggests infections are largely confined to close-contact settings aboard the cruise ship.