Hantavirus: Rare yet Deadly Virus Strikes Cruise Ship—What to Watch Out for

Infectious disease experts break down hantavirus risks, symptoms, and how rare person-to-person transmission actually is.

Hantavirus particles. Kateryna Kon/Science photo library/Getty Images

By now, many have heard of hantavirus, the rare, deadly virus spreading among passengers aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius, but few people know much about the virus itself.

The World Health Organization recently confirmed that the virus on the ship is the Andes variant, the only type of hantavirus capable of human-to-human transmission. However, as of May 7, the public health risk remains low.

What is hantavirus, and how does it affect humans?

What Is Hantavirus?

Hantavirus is a tiny, round virus about 100 nanometers wide—so small that 1,000 could fit across the width of a human hair.

Hantaviruses are a genus of viruses that belong to the Hantaviridae (formerly under Bunyaviridae) family and are primarily carried by rodents, especially mice and rats. In North America, the most common carriers of hantavirus are deer mice.

The virus is transmitted to humans through contact with infected rodent urine, droppings, or saliva, or through inhalation of aerosolized particles contaminated with these excretions.

More than 50 recognized species exist worldwide, and infection can cause two distinct syndromes: hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), which leads to life-threatening lung and heart problems, and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), a severe disease affecting the kidneys.

There is no specific treatment or cure for hantavirus infection, although the antiviral drug ribavirin has shown effectiveness for the kidney-failure variant. It has not proven effective against the lung and heart involvement seen in HPS.

Andes Variant

Of all known strains, only the Andes virus has been documented to potentially spread from person to person, and even then, transmission generally requires close, prolonged contact and remains rare.

Before the new outbreak, Andes had been restricted to parts of Latin America, particularly Argentina.

One of the largest reported outbreaks of Andes virus was responsible for 29 confirmed cases, including 11 deaths, between late 2018 and early 2019 in Epuyén, a village of about 2,000 people in Patagonia, Argentina. So far, that is the best-known outbreak involving human-to-human transmission.

In the case of the MV Hondius, experts with the WHO speculate that the first passenger suspected to have died from hantavirus likely contracted it within Argentina. When he boarded the ship, he spread the virus to other passengers.

An aerial view of the cruise ship MV Hondius anchored off Cape Verde on May 4, 2026. AFP via Getty Images

In Argentina, HPS has a fatality rate of up to 50 percent. Authorities contained the spread through strict quarantines, contact tracing, isolation of close contacts, and active monitoring—measures that echo the public health response seen during COVID-19.

Dr. Tyler B. Evans, an infectious disease and public health physician and the first chief medical officer for New York City during COVID-19, told The Epoch Times that the danger of a ship such as MV Hondius is that it’s a small expedition ship operating in some of the most remote waters on Earth.

Because it has only one doctor on board and stops at remote locations with minimal medical infrastructure, when someone becomes critically ill, the response is not a quick diversion to a nearby port of convenience with modern facilities, he said.

“It is a multi-day evacuation that may not be survivable,” he said.

Symptoms to Watch For

HPS typically begins with flu-like symptoms. The incubation period—the time from exposure to the onset of symptoms—is up to eight weeks, but most symptoms appear about two to four weeks after exposure.

What makes the disease so dangerous is how quickly it can escalate.

“Once symptoms start ... they can include fever, headaches, muscle aches, and maybe a cough, and that can last a couple days or a week,” Dr. Andrew Handel, a pediatric infectious diseases specialist at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital in New York, told The Epoch Times. “But the real concern with hantaviruses is cardiopulmonary syndrome, where there can be rapid collapse.”

When that collapse occurs, Handel said, the mortality rate within the first 24 hours is high.

As the disease progresses, it can rapidly lead to fluid accumulation in the lungs, resulting in respiratory failure if not treated promptly.

HFRS, on the other hand, manifests with symptoms such as fever, flushing, headache, kidney problems, bleeding under the skin or from other orifices, and, in severe cases, shock.

Low Risk for Most

For the general population, hantavirus represents a low risk. The United States identifies between 15 and 50 cases annually.

In Asia and Europe, HFRS cases are more prevalent, particularly in countries such as China, Korea, and Russia, where thousands of cases are reported each year.

The virus requires specific conditions to infect humans, such as prolonged inhalation of aerosolized particles. Additionally, most rodent populations do not carry the virus, and most people are never exposed to these rodents, further reducing the overall risk.

However, those living in or frequently visiting rural areas, farms, cabins, or regions with high rodent populations face a significantly increased likelihood of exposure.

Children and immunocompromised individuals may also face a higher likelihood of severe disease if exposed.

Prevention

The key to prevention is minimizing contact with rodents.

The primary preventive measure is keeping rodents away from homes and workplaces by sealing holes and gaps, storing food in airtight containers, and removing clutter or debris that could serve as nesting sites.

When cleaning areas contaminated with rodent droppings, it is critical to avoid sweeping or vacuuming, as these can aerosolize the virus. Instead, first open up windows to air out the space, use disinfectants and wet cloths, and wear gloves and masks to prevent inhalation or contact.