On April 1, 2026, what started as the cruise of a lifetime turned into a nightmare.
Passengers boarded the MV Hondius for an expedition cruise through the South Atlantic.1 Within days, one traveler developed symptoms. Over the following weeks, public health officials began investigating a rare and deadly outbreak of Andes hantavirus linked to the ship.1 By May 8, the World Health Organization had reported eight confirmed or probable cases connected to the outbreak, including three deaths.1
The story became even more urgent for Americans when U.S. officials began bringing passengers home for specialized evaluation and monitoring.1 On May 10, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services confirmed that American citizens from the MV Hondius had been brought back to the U.S., including one passenger who tested positive for Andes hantavirus and another who had mild symptoms.1
Health officials continue to emphasize that the overall risk to the American public remains extremely low.2 Still, exposed passengers are being monitored for 42 days, because symptoms of Andes hantavirus may take weeks to appear.2 That long window, paired with the seriousness of the illness, is exactly why clear public health information matters.
Hantavirus is not new.2 It is not common.2 And this outbreak is not being treated like another COVID-19 pandemic.2 But it is a reminder that rare infections can become high-stakes when people do not know what they are, how they spread, or how to protect themselves. In this article, we break down what hantavirus is, how hantavirus spreads, what symptoms can look like, and the practical prevention steps that matter most.
What Is Hantavirus?
Hantavirus refers to a group of viruses that are usually carried by rodents.3 People can become infected after coming into contact with infected rodent urine, droppings, saliva, nesting materials, or contaminated surfaces.3 In some situations, virus particles can become stirred into the air and breathed in.3
Different hantaviruses can cause different kinds of illness. In the Americas, the best-known severe form is Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, or HPS, which affects the lungs and can become life-threatening.3 Some hantaviruses found in other parts of the world can cause Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome, or HFRS, which mainly affects the kidneys.3
The cruise ship outbreak involves Andes virus, a type of hantavirus usually found in parts of South America.2 It can cause HPS and is especially notable because it is the only hantavirus known to spread from person to person, though that kind of spread is still considered rare and usually requires close, prolonged contact with someone who is sick.2
Hantavirus disease is uncommon in the United States.4 According to the CDC, 890 cases of hantavirus disease were reported in the U.S. from 1993 through 2023.4 That rarity is important for perspective, but it should not be mistaken for harmlessness. When hantavirus causes severe lung disease, it can be deadly.4
How Viruses Work, In Plain Language
To understand hantavirus, it helps to first understand what viruses do.
A virus is a tiny infectious particle that cannot grow or multiply on its own.5 Instead, it has to enter a living cell. Once inside, it uses that cell like a copy machine, forcing it to make more of the virus.5 This process is called replication. As viruses make copies of themselves, they can damage cells, disrupt how the body normally works, and trigger the immune system to fight back.5
Sometimes the immune system clears a virus before a person ever feels sick.5 Other times, the infection causes mild symptoms.5 And in some cases, especially with viruses that affect the lungs, blood vessels, or major organs, the illness can become severe very quickly.5
How Hantavirus Spreads
Most hantavirus infections happen through rodent exposure, not through casual contact with other people.3
The virus can spread when:
- A person breathes in air contaminated by infected rodent urine, droppings, or nesting materials that have been stirred up.3
- Rodent saliva, urine, or feces get into the eyes, nose, mouth, or a cut in the skin.3
- A person touches a contaminated object or surface and then touches their face.3
- In rare cases involving Andes virus, a person has close, prolonged contact with someone who is already sick.3
What Hantavirus Symptoms Can Look Like
Hantavirus symptoms can be easy to miss at first because they may resemble the flu, a stomach bug, or other common viral illnesses.4
For Andes virus, symptoms may appear 4 to 42 days after exposure.4 Early symptoms may include:
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Muscle aches, especially in the thighs, hips, back, and shoulders
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Chills
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal pain
In hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, the illness can worsen after the early phase. CDC guidance notes that four to 10 days after initial symptoms begin, some people develop coughing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness as the lungs fill with fluid.4
This is where the illness can become especially dangerous. The CDC reports that 38% of people who develop respiratory symptoms from HPS may die from the disease.4 There is currently no specific antiviral treatment or vaccine for Andes virus.4 Care focuses on managing symptoms early and providing supportive treatment, which may include hospital monitoring and intensive care for severe breathing problems.4
That does not mean every exposure leads to severe disease. It does mean that people with a known exposure history should take new symptoms seriously and follow public health guidance quickly.
Hantavirus vs. Common Flu: Symptom Comparison
|
Symptom
|
Common Flu
|
Hantavirus (Early Phase)
|
Hantavirus (Late Phase)
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Fever/Chills |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Coughing |
Immediate |
No |
Yes (Severe) |
|
Muscle Aches |
General |
Hips, Thighs, Shoulders |
Intense |
|
Shortness of Breath |
Rare |
No |
Critical/Immediate |
How To Protect Yourself From Hantavirus
The most important prevention strategy is reducing contact with rodents and cleaning contaminated spaces the right way.6
1) Keep Rodents Out Of Your Home And Living Spaces
Rodent control is the primary way to prevent hantavirus. The CDC recommends keeping mice and rats out of homes, garages, cabins, vehicles, and other spaces where people live, sleep, or store belongings.6
This includes sealing entry points, keeping food secured, cleaning up clutter that can become nesting material, and addressing infestations early.6
This may sound simple, but it matters. Hantavirus prevention begins long before anyone sees droppings. It begins with making spaces less inviting to rodents in the first place.
2) Do Not Sweep Or Vacuum Rodent Droppings
If you find rodent urine, droppings, or nesting materials, do not use a broom or vacuum.6 The CDC warns that sweeping or vacuuming can push contaminated particles into the air, increasing the chance that they may be inhaled.6
Instead, the space should be cleaned using a wet disinfecting method.
3) Clean Rodent Waste Safely, Step By Step
The CDC’s cleanup guidance is clear:
- First, put on rubber or plastic gloves. Spray the droppings or urine with a bleach solution or an EPA-registered disinfectant until the area is very wet.6
- Let it soak for at least five minutes, or for the time listed on the disinfectant label.6
- Next, wipe up the material with paper towels, throw the waste away in a covered garbage can, mop or disinfect the area.6
- Lastly, wash gloved hands before removing gloves, and wash hands again with soap and water afterward.6
- For spaces such as cabins, sheds, barns, or buildings that have been closed up, the CDC also recommends opening doors and windows and leaving the area to ventilate for 30 minutes before cleaning.6
These steps are not overkill. They are meant to keep contaminated material from becoming airborne.
4) Use Extra Caution In Cabins, Sheds, Barns, Vehicles, And Travel Settings
Rodent exposure does not only happen in homes. It can happen in storage spaces, barns, vacation cabins, campsites, work areas, and vehicles that have sat unused. Human hantavirus cases are often linked to rural settings and activities in places where rodents are present, including buildings with infestations.6
Before cleaning or settling into a space that may have rodent activity:
- Look for droppings, nests, gnaw marks, or unusual smells.6
- Avoid stirring up dust.6
- Ventilate before cleaning.6
- Use the CDC’s wet-cleaning method if rodent waste is present.6
The 3-Step Disinfection Process:
- Soak: Spray droppings with 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- Scoop: Use paper towels to pick up the waste while wearing rubber gloves.
- Sanitize: Clean the entire surrounding area with disinfectant and wash hands thoroughly.
5) If You Had A Known Andes Virus Exposure, Follow Monitoring Guidance Closely
For the general public, the risk from the current outbreak remains extremely low.6 But for people with a known exposure to Andes virus, health guidance becomes much more specific.
CDC and WHO guidance emphasize monitoring for symptoms during the 42-day window after exposure.6 For people who may have had close contact with a sick person, preventive measures include frequent handwashing, avoiding kissing or sexual contact with someone who may have Andes virus, not sharing drinks, eating utensils, cigarettes, hookah, or vapes, and maintaining distance from someone who may be ill.6
If symptoms develop after a known exposure, immediate medical guidance matters because hantavirus illness can worsen quickly and supportive care is most helpful when started early.6
Why Knowing About The Hantavirus is Important For Our Community
Hantavirus is rare, but rare does not mean irrelevant.
The cruise ship outbreak shows how quickly a little-known illness can become a major public health concern when it intersects with travel, delayed symptoms, and uncertainty about how exposures occurred.
It also shows why public health communication matters. People need to know when the risk is low, when the situation is serious, and what action actually helps.
Inside the NOWINCLUDED community, we believe trusted health education should be clear, current, and connected to real life.
Use this guide to stay informed, share accurate prevention information with someone who may need it, and keep choosing knowledge over panic when health headlines feel overwhelming.
References
- WHO. (2026, May 4). Hantavirus cluster linked to cruise ship travel, Multi-country. Retrieved from World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2026-DON599
- CDC. (2026, May 11). Andes Virus Outbreak on a Cruise Ship: Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/faq/index.html
- CDC. (2024, May 13). About Hantavirus. Retrieved from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/about/index.html
- CDC. (2026, April 23). Reported Cases of Hantavirus Disease. Retrieved from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/data-research/cases/index.html
- NHGRI . (2021, November 12). Genomics and Virology. Retrieved from NIH: National Human Genome Research Institute: https://www.genome.gov/about-genomics/fact-sheets/Genomics-and-Virology
- CDC. (2024, May 13). Hantavirus Prevention. Retrieved from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/prevention/index.html
