Active Outbreak · Andes Virus

HANTAVIRUS GLOBAL TRACKER

WHO · CDC · ECDC · WIKIPEDIA — UPDATED MAY 12, 2026 20:00 UTC
11
Cases
3
Deaths
27%
CFR
LOW
WHO Risk

🗺 World Map — MV Hondius Outbreak

MV Hondius · Andes Virus
11 cases · 3 deaths (CFR 27%) · 23 nationalities. Evacuated Tenerife May 10–11. Ship en route Rotterdam. WHO risk: LOW.
Apr 1
Departs Ushuaia — 175 aboard
Apr 11 💀
Death at sea — Dutch passenger
Apr 26 💀
Johannesburg — 1st PCR confirmation
Apr 27 ✈
Ascension medevac
May 2 💀
Death at sea — WHO notified
May 10–11 ✈
Tenerife — 122 repatriated
May 12 🚢
En route Rotterdam, ETA May 17
Endemic Burden
Very High (>10k/yr)
High (1k–10k)
Moderate (100–1k)
Low (<100/yr)
MV Hondius
Ship route
💀Death
Medevac flight
Repatriation flight
Layers

📊 Statistics — May 12, 2026

Confirmed Cases
9
PCR-confirmed Andes virus
Probable Cases
2
Awaiting lab confirmation
Deaths
3
2 confirmed hantavirus · 1 probable
Case Fatality Rate
27%
3 deaths / 11 total cases
Nations Involved
23
Aboard · 14 actively tracing
Monitoring (42-day)
~150
All former passengers + crew
In Biocontainment
2
Omaha, NE · Atlanta, GA (USA)
WHO Global Risk
LOW
Confirmed May 12, 2026
🏳 Nations — Confirmed Cases & Deaths
CountryFlagCasesDeathsCFRStatus / Notes
Netherlands🇳🇱22100%Husband & wife; 1st deaths. Wife confirmed ANDV, husband probable.
Germany🇩🇪11100%3rd death, at sea ~May 2. Confirmed ANDV.
United Kingdom🇬🇧200%2 confirmed; 1 critical in SA, 1 treated in UK. Army deployed to Tristan da Cunha.
Switzerland🇨🇭100%Disembarked St Helena Apr 24. Treated in Zurich. Genome published virological.org.
United States🇺🇸200%1 confirmed + 1 symptomatic. 16 at UNMC Nebraska; 2 in biocontainment (NE & Atlanta).
France🇫🇷100%Tested positive during repatriation flight to Paris. Isolated on arrival.
Spain🇪🇸100%1 confirmed post-repatriation. Isolated in hospital.
Canada🇨🇦00—WHO contacted. Nationals on contact-tracing watch.
Denmark🇩🇰00—WHO contacted. Nationals monitoring.
Singapore🇸🇬00—WHO contacted. No symptoms reported.
Sweden🇸🇪00—WHO contacted. Nationals monitoring.
Australia / NZ🇦🇺🇳🇿00—6 passengers repatriated via Amsterdam. Monitoring underway.
Turkey🇹🇷00—WHO contacted. Asymptomatic.
Belgium🇧🇪00—EU civil protection mechanism. Monitoring.
Outbreak Progression (Cases)
Case Status Breakdown
Repatriation by Country
US Response

🏳 Nations — Cases & Deaths

CountryFlagCasesDeathsCFRNotes
Netherlands🇳🇱22100%Husband & wife. Wife confirmed ANDV, husband probable.
Germany🇩🇪11100%3rd death at sea ~May 2. Confirmed ANDV.
United Kingdom🇬🇧200%2 confirmed. 1 critical in SA, 1 treated in UK.
Switzerland🇨🇭100%Disembarked St Helena Apr 24. Treated Zurich. Genome published.
United States🇺🇸200%1 confirmed + 1 symptomatic. 16 at UNMC NE; 2 biocontainment.
France🇫🇷100%Tested positive during repatriation flight to Paris.
Spain🇪🇸100%1 confirmed post-repatriation. Isolated in hospital.
Canada🇨🇦00—WHO contacted. Monitoring.
Denmark🇩🇰00—WHO contacted. Monitoring.
Singapore🇸🇬00—WHO contacted. Asymptomatic.
Sweden🇸🇪00—Monitoring.
Australia/NZ🇦🇺🇳🇿00—6 repatriated via Amsterdam. Monitoring.
Turkey🇹🇷00—WHO contacted. Asymptomatic.
Belgium🇧🇪00—EU civil protection mechanism. Monitoring.

🧬 About & Timeline

🦠 What is Hantavirus?

Rodent-borne zoonotic viruses spread through contact with infected rodent urine, droppings, or saliva. No approved antiviral or vaccine exists.

  • HFRS — Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (Europe/Asia). CFR <1–15%.
  • HPS/HCPS — Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (Americas). CFR 30–60%.
  • Andes virus — only strain with documented human-to-human transmission.

⚡ Outbreak — May 12 Update

9 confirmed + 2 probable = 11 total cases (ECDC, May 12). 3 deaths. All passengers evacuated from Tenerife May 10–11. 18 Americans at UNMC Nebraska; 2 in biocontainment (Omaha + Emory Atlanta).

WHO DG Tedros: "Given the long incubation period, more cases possible in coming weeks." CDC: overall risk to US public remains extremely low. Routine travel continues normally.

🔬 Andes Virus Facts

  • Found in southern South America (Argentina, Chile)
  • Reservoir: long-tailed pygmy rice rat
  • Only hantavirus with person-to-person spread
  • Incubation: 1–8 weeks (typically 2–4 weeks)
  • Symptoms: fever, headache, muscle pain → respiratory failure
  • Genome published on virological.org May 8 (ANDV/Switzerland/Hu-3337/2026)

🛡️ Response & Prevention

  • 42-day monitoring period for all former passengers/crew
  • Biocontainment units activated at UNMC and Emory
  • UK Army deployed to Tristan da Cunha for medical support
  • ECDC guidance published for passenger management
  • Ship crew remaining aboard; decontamination on Rotterdam arrival
  • WHO DG Tedros held press conference in Madrid, May 12

📅 Full Outbreak Timeline

Apr 1
MV Hondius departs Ushuaia, Argentina. 175 aboard (114 guests, 61 crew), 23 nationalities. Dutch couple likely exposed on pre-voyage birdwatching tour in Patagonia.
Apr 11 💀
First death at sea. Dutch passenger (70M). Hantavirus not yet suspected; no microbiological tests performed.
Apr 13–16
Ship stops Tristan da Cunha. 6 islanders board. Virus still undetected.
Apr 24
Saint Helena: body disembarked. Dutch wife (69F) airlifted to Johannesburg. 30 passengers including Swiss patient disembark. 8 French nationals on same Apr 25 flight from St Helena to Johannesburg.
Apr 26 💀
Dutch wife dies in Johannesburg hospital. PCR confirms Andes hantavirus — FIRST confirmed case. International alerts triggered.
Apr 27
Ascension Island: British national + American partner medically evacuated. 147 remain.
May 2 💀
German passenger dies aboard. WHO notified. Total: 8 cases (2 confirmed + 6 suspected). 3 deaths.
May 4–5
WHO publishes DON599. Ship detained at Cape Verde; facilities inadequate. Dutch health authorities notify KLM re: exposed passengers.
May 6
Andes virus confirmed by WHO. 3 more evacuated to Netherlands incl. ship's doctor. Swiss government confirms Zurich patient is ANDV-positive. Nextstrain pages set up with outbreak sequences.
May 8
WHO DON600: 6 confirmed + 2 probable = 8 total. CDC Level 3 response activated. UK: 2 confirmed Britons. Genome ANDV/Switzerland/Hu-3337/2026 published on virological.org.
May 10
Ship docks Tenerife after Spanish Health Ministry approval. Day 1: 94 passengers (19 nationalities) disembark. US passengers board buses in PPE. UK Army paratroopers deployed to Tristan da Cunha.
May 11
Day 2 Tenerife evacuation complete. 18 Americans depart on State Dept charter → UNMC Nebraska. 2 in biocontainment (1 Omaha, 1 Emory Atlanta). French passenger tests positive during Paris flight. Spain confirms 1 case.
May 12
ECDC confirms 9 confirmed + 2 probable = 11 total. WHO DG Tedros press conference in Madrid. 16 Americans at UNMC quarantine; 2 biocontainment. US confirms 2nd American symptomatic. Bay Area CA resident under monitoring (asymptomatic). More cases expected given 42-day incubation window.
📡 Latest News Feed — May 12, 2026
ABC News — Live Updates
Hantavirus live updates: 16 at facility in Nebraska, 2 at hospital in Atlanta
May 12, 2026 · 3 hrs ago
ECDC — Official Update
11 cases total (9 confirmed, 2 probable) as of May 12 — repatriation complete
May 12, 2026 · 8 hrs ago
NBC News
American passengers from hantavirus-hit cruise ship arrive back in the U.S. — 2 in biocontainment units in Omaha and Atlanta
May 12, 2026 · 2 hrs ago
TODAY / NBC
Hantavirus in the US: Map of states with cruise ship passengers — 1 American confirmed positive
May 12, 2026 · Updated 10:51 AM EDT
CBS News San Francisco
Bay Area resident exposed to hantavirus on MV Hondius showing no symptoms, California health officials say
May 12, 2026 · 11 hrs ago
CNN — Live Updates
MV Hondius docks in Tenerife — 94 passengers of 19 nationalities disembark Day 1
May 10–11, 2026
Wikipedia — MV Hondius Hantavirus Outbreak
Full outbreak summary: timeline, cases by country, ship route, and response measures
Continuously updated
CNN
From US to Singapore, countries race to track hantavirus — French contacts on Apr 25 Johannesburg flight identified
May 7, 2026
TIME Magazine
What countries are linked to the hantavirus outbreak? Full nationality breakdown
May 7, 2026
SOURCES: ECDC Outbreak Update May 12 · WHO DON599 & DON600 · ABC News Live · NBC News · TODAY · CBS SF · CNN · Wikipedia MV Hondius outbreak · TIME · CDC HAN00528.
Last updated May 12, 2026 ~20:00 UTC. All data reflects MV Hondius Andes virus cluster only.
SOURCES: ECDC May 12 · WHO DON599 & DON600 · ABC News Live · NBC · TODAY · CBS SF · CNN · Wikipedia MV Hondius outbreak · TIME · CDC HAN00528 · Last updated May 12, 2026 ~20:00 UTC