MV Hondius Hantavirus Outbreak — May 2026

MV Hondius docks at Port of Granadilla, Tenerife in the early hours. WHO DG Tedros personally travels to Tenerife to coordinate evacuation. Spanish passengers to military hospital in Madrid. 17 Americans evacuated by CDC-chartered flight to Offutt AFB, Nebraska then National Quarantine Center at University of Nebraska. 6 EU and 4 non-EU repatriation flights arranged. Ship disinfection begins.

WHO confirms 8 suspected, 6 confirmed cases. CDC activates Level 3 response. None of 17 Americans have tested positive. UK confirms 2 nationals with hantavirus plus 1 suspected on Tristan da Cunha. KLM flight attendant tests NEGATIVE. Spain overrules Canary Islands — docking confirmed.

8th case confirmed Zurich. WHO DG Tedros briefs media. Argentina publishes Dutch couple's full route — visited Neuquén and Misiones, both endemic areas. Singapore isolates two residents from St Helena Airlink flight.

Andes strain confirmed. 3 patients air-evacuated to Schiphol and Germany. WHO expert deployed on board. 2,500 diagnostic kits shipped to 5 countries. Ship departs Cape Verde 7:15pm.

WHO reports 7 cases, 3 deaths. Ship anchored off Cape Verde. Human-to-human transmission flagged. Molecular tests confirm Dutch woman had hantavirus.

German woman dies on board — third confirmed death. UK IHR focal point notifies WHO of cluster.

Ship departs Ascension Island. British passenger removed and flown to Johannesburg — critical but stable.

Dutch man's body removed at Saint Helena. His 69-year-old wife disembarks, flies Airlink to Johannesburg (82 passengers now contact-traced). Collapses trying to board KLM KL592 home. Dies April 26 in Johannesburg — second death. ~30 other passengers also disembark St Helena.

First death: 70-year-old Dutch man (index case) dies on board with fever, headache, abdominal pain, diarrhoea.

MV Hondius departs Ushuaia with 147 people (87 passengers, 60 crew) of 24 nationalities including 17 Americans.

Dutch index couple arrives in Argentina for 4-month birdwatching trip through Argentina, Chile and Uruguay. Visit Neuquén and Misiones — both WHO-identified Andes virus endemic areas. Return to Argentina March 27, board ship April 1.