Public Health – Seattle & King County was notified by Washington State Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that three King County residents were potentially exposed to the Andes type of hantavirus linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship.   

Two King County residents were sitting on an airplane near an ill cruise ship passenger who was removed from the aircraft before takeoff and later tested positive. Both residents have returned to King County. They are both asymptomatic and are monitoring for symptoms at home in coordination with Public Health – Seattle & King County.  

Public Health is also aware of a third King County resident who was a passenger on the MV Hondius cruise ship. This resident is currently asymptomatic and is being monitored for symptoms along with other American passengers at the national quarantine center at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.  

Currently, no one in King County has symptoms of hantavirus and there are no cases of the virus in King County. The risk to the public remains low.  

Hantavirus infections are rare but can cause severe illness. They primarily spread from contact with wild rodents, especially when people are exposed to their urine, droppings, and saliva. The Andes virus is the only known type of hantavirus that can spread from person to person, though this type of transmission is rare, and studies show that spread between people typically requires prolonged, close contact with a person sick with the Andes virus.  

“I know the current news about hantavirus may be scary,” said Dr. Sandra J. Valenciano, Health Officer and Acting Director for Public Health – Seattle & King County. “Even though these individuals do not show signs of illness, we have strong contact tracing and monitoring in place. These are measures that have contained the spread in previous outbreaks of hantavirus. The risk of this virus spreading to residents of King County is low at this time. This is a very different situation from when COVID-19 first emerged – COVID was a novel virus that we knew very little about. In contrast, we have a lot more information about hantavirus and how it spreads.”   

• What's the risk of hantavirus in King County? – PUBLIC HEALTH INSIDER  

• Information in English, Spanish, and Chinese: Hantavirus - King County, Washington (kingcounty.gov/hantavirus)  

• More information from the Washington State Department of Health: Hantavirus | Washington State Department of Health