A recent hantavirus outbreak linked to an expedition cruise ship has understandably raised concerns among travelers. With memories of the COVID-19 pandemic still fresh, it’s natural to wonder whether this is the beginning of something similar. The short answer, according to the World Health Organization, is no.
What Happened?
A cluster of hantavirus cases was identified among passengers on the MV Hondius, a small 147-passenger expedition vessel that was conducting a birdwatching voyage from Argentina to Cape Verde. This is an extremely niche, remote expedition operation, not a mainstream cruise ship. As of May 7, 2026, eight cases have been reported (five confirmed), including three deaths.
Critically, this outbreak did not originate on the ship. The initial cases involved passengers who had traveled in South America, including Argentina, before boarding. The virus was contracted on land and brought aboard, where the confined setting and close contact between passengers allowed limited spread of the Andes strain.
What the WHO Is Saying
During a press briefing on May 7, 2026, WHO officials addressed the situation directly.
Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, Director of Epidemic and Pandemic Management at the WHO, stated: “This is not covid, nor influenza. It spreads very differently.” She also emphasized: “This is not coronavirus. This is a very different virus that has existed for quite some time. This is not the beginning of a Covid pandemic; this is an outbreak we are observing on the ship, occurring in a confined area.”
She added: “This is not the same situation we faced six years ago. It does not spread in the same way.”
Dr. Abdirahman Mahamud, Director at the Alert and Response Coordination Department of the WHO’s Emergencies Health Programme, provided additional context: “We had a similar situation in Argentina in 2018-2019, where a symptomatic individual attended a social gathering that led to a lot of people getting infected. We are in a similar situation right now, with a cluster in a confined space and close contact.” He added that with proper public health measures, contact tracing, and isolation, the chain of transmission can be broken, and he does not anticipate a large epidemic.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted: “Given the incubation period of the Andes virus, which can be up to six weeks, more cases may be reported. While this is a serious incident, WHO assesses the public health risk as low.”
How Is Hantavirus Different from COVID-19?
The differences between hantavirus and COVID-19 are significant, and they’re the reason health experts are confident this will not become a pandemic.
How it spreads: COVID-19 was an unprecedented, highly contagious respiratory virus that can linger in the air and spread rapidly through casual contact. Hantavirus is well-known virus, primarily a zoonotic disease, meaning it spreads from rodents to humans through contact with infected droppings, urine, or saliva. Human-to-human transmission of hantavirus is extremely rare and requires prolonged, close, intimate contact. It does not spread through the air the way COVID does.
How rare it is: To put this in perspective, the CDC recorded just 890 confirmed hantavirus cases in the entire United States over a 30-year period from 1993 to 2023. A hantavirus outbreak has never previously been recorded on a cruise ship.
How fragile the virus is: Unlike COVID-19, hantavirus does not survive long outside a host. At room temperature, the virus remains viable for roughly 2 to 3 days. When exposed to direct sunlight, it loses viability within hours. It is easily killed by standard household disinfectants. This is a fragile virus that cannot persist in the environment the way COVID could.
How containable it is: Hantavirus outbreaks are typically localized and contained through standard public health measures like contact tracing and isolation. As of this writing, former passengers being monitored in five US states have shown no symptoms.
What Does This Mean for Your Cruise Plans?
This outbreak occurred on a single, small expedition vessel carrying 147 passengers on a remote birdwatching voyage, and the virus was contracted on land before passengers boarded. It is not indicative of a broader risk to the cruise industry. Major cruise lines operating in the Mediterranean, Alaska, Northern Europe, the Caribbean, and beyond are not affected by this incident.
If you have an upcoming cruise booked, there is no reason to change your plans based on this outbreak. The WHO has assessed the public health risk as low, and the situation is being actively monitored and managed.
As always, if you have questions or concerns about any upcoming travel, we’re here to talk it through with you.
Note that Berwick Travel/Berwick Voyages are not medical professionals. This article is intended to provide general information based on publicly available sources. For specific health questions or concerns, please consult your physician or healthcare provider.
Sources: World Health Organization press briefing, May 7, 2026; WHO Disease Outbreak News, May 4, 2026; CDC; NDTV Health; CNN; NBC News; Pharmacy TimesShare
