HEALTH ADVISORY: Hantavirus Disease Outbreak Among Passengers of the MV Hondius Ship
To: All Healthcare Providers
From:
Sarah L. Rudman, MD, MPH Public Health Officer and Director County of Santa Clara Public Health Department
and
Monika Roy, MD, MPH Deputy Public Health Officer Director, Infectious Disease and Response Branch County of Santa Clara Public Health Department
***Please forward this to all healthcare providers in your organization.*** Before forwarding, please remove all "unsubscribe" links in fine print from the bottom of this message, as well as these two bolded sentences.
Situational Update
An outbreak of severe respiratory illnesses aboard the MV Hondius, a Dutch flagged cruise ship, was first reported to the WHO on May 2, 2026. As of May 8, WHO has reported a total of eight cases (six confirmed and two probable cases), including three deaths (among two confirmed and one probable case). All six cases have been confirmed as infected with the Andes virus, a species of hantavirus with documented person‑to‑person transmission following prolonged close contact.
The California Department of Health (CDPH) is currently aware of four California residents linked to this outbreak including a resident of Santa Clara County who has already returned home, two additional cruise ship contacts who are currently repatriated and in a medical facility in Nebraska, and a fourth contact who was not onboard the ship but is a close contact to a case.
The County of Santa Clara Public Health Department (SCC PHD) has been actively monitoring the returned traveler in our county daily and will continue to do so for the duration of the virus’ 42-day incubation period. The individual is currently at home, feeling well, and reporting no symptoms of hantavirus at this time.
The risk to the general public is considered extremely low at this time. Person to person transmission of Andes virus requires prolonged close contact, individuals are not considered infectious unless symptomatic, and all individuals exposed on the cruise ship are being closely monitored and evaluated.
For additional information about Andes virus, the cruise ship outbreak, or the international, national, state, and local public health responses, please refer to the resource section below.
|