Global health officials have confirmed 11 hantavirus cases linked to the luxury expedition cruise ship MV Hondius, with experts warning that more infections could emerge in the coming weeks as passengers remain under quarantine and medical observation around the world.
The outbreak, which has already claimed three lives, began after the vessel departed Argentina on April 1 carrying nearly 150 passengers and crew on a remote sightseeing expedition through isolated regions of the South Atlantic.
Among those currently quarantined is American passenger Jake Rosmarin, who spoke from a quarantine room at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska.
Rosmarin, who has not tested positive and is not showing symptoms, said learning about the outbreak onboard was frightening, especially after researching the virus online. He said he largely remained isolated in his cabin while still aboard the ship and only felt relief after disembarking in Spain’s Canary Islands.
A total of 18 American passengers returned to the United States, with 16 placed under observation in Nebraska and two others monitored at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. US health officials confirmed that two passengers are currently being housed in specialized biocontainment units “out of an abundance of caution.”
Three deaths have been linked to the outbreak so far, including a Dutch couple and a German passenger. The first victim died after being removed from the ship at the remote island of St. Helena, while his wife later died in a hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The cruise ship eventually docked in Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands, where passengers underwent health screenings before returning to their home countries. Positive cases have since been identified in France, Spain, and Switzerland, prompting international monitoring efforts.
Health authorities are especially concerned because the Andes strain of hantavirus involved in the outbreak can spread through prolonged close human contact, although experts stress the overall public risk remains low.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that additional cases may still emerge due to the virus’s incubation period, which can last up to 42 days.
US officials emphasized that hantavirus does not spread easily and typically requires close interaction with someone already showing symptoms. Brendan Jackson of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said health agencies are continuing aggressive monitoring efforts while investigators work to identify the exact source of the outbreak.
The World Health Organization is focusing particular attention on a bird-watching excursion in southern Argentina attended by the first passenger who later died before boarding the cruise.
Oceanwide Expeditions confirmed that all passengers and most crew members have now disembarked from the ship. The remaining crew are sailing the vessel to Rotterdam in the Netherlands, where it is expected to arrive later this month.
Medical experts noted that this is not the first major hantavirus cluster. A similar outbreak in Argentina in 2018 infected 34 people and killed 11 after the virus spread during social gatherings.
