What Is Hantavirus? Cruise Ship Deaths, Symptoms & 2026 Outbreak Updates

10 Épidémie Actives

Hantavirus infection is a rare but serious viral disease transmitted to humans through contact with infected rodents or their waste. The virus can cause severe respiratory illness (Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome) or kidney disease (Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome).

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Pays Affectés
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Cas Récents (30 j)
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Épidémies Actives
6d ago
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Qu'est-ce que Hantavirus Infection?

Hantaviruses are a family of viruses spread mainly by rodents that can cause varied disease syndromes in humans. Infection occurs primarily through inhalation of virus particles from rodent urine, droppings, or saliva. Two main syndromes affect humans: Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) in the Americas and Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS) in Europe and Asia.

Symptômes

  • Fatigue and fever (101-104°F) — first signs, 1-5 weeks after exposure
  • Severe muscle aches — especially thighs, hips, back, and shoulders
  • Headache and dizziness
  • Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramping
  • Dry cough — marks transition to dangerous lung phase
  • Rapid onset shortness of breath and difficulty breathing
  • Fluid accumulation in lungs (pulmonary edema) — life-threatening
  • Low blood pressure and heart rate irregularities (late stage)
  • Kidney damage, hemorrhaging (HFRS variant in Europe/Asia)

Transmission

Transmitted primarily through inhalation of aerosolized virus particles from rodent urine, droppings, or saliva. Can also spread through rodent bites or touching contaminated materials then touching eyes, nose, or mouth. Rarely spreads person-to-person.

Période de Contagiosité : Not typically contagious person-to-person; transmission occurs from infected rodents

Prévention

  • Eliminate rodent infestations in and around homes
  • Seal holes and gaps where rodents can enter
  • Keep food in rodent-proof containers
  • Use proper ventilation when cleaning rodent-infested areas
  • Wet down areas before cleaning to avoid aerosolizing virus
  • Use disinfectant when cleaning rodent droppings or nests
  • Avoid disturbing rodent nests or burrows

Live Hantavirus Infection Global Case Map

6 countries with reported activity. Updated from real-time surveillance data.

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Épidémies Actives et Cas Récents

Renseignements en temps réel issus de la surveillance sanitaire mondiale et de la surveillance par IA

Sources de données : BEACON, ProMED, OMS, CDC et plus de 50 agences nationales de santé

✓ Données en direct mises à jour en temps réel depuis les sources de santé mondiales

Hantavirus: Tourist who transited France in July tests positive

France 2026-08-07
Actif

A case of hantavirus, which recently sparked international alarm, has been detected in a Franco-Argentine national who holidayed in France in July before being put in isolation in Spain, the French health ministry said Thursday, August 6. The patient had few symptoms and now has none, the ministry ...
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Venezuela Says Three People With Confirmed Hantavirus Have Died

Venezuela 2026-07-22
Actif

CARACAS, July 21 (Reuters) - Three ⁠people ⁠with confirmed cases ⁠of hantavirus have died in Venezuela's eastern Anzoategui state, the country's health ministry said on Tuesday. Two other deaths, both of health ⁠professionals ⁠in the state of Barinas, are unconnected to the cases in Anzoategui and still under investigation, the ministry added in a statement, saying they are specific events that do ⁠not ⁠represent a risk to ⁠the health of the community. "This virus is transmitted by rodents in ⁠rural and agricultural areas, principally by inhaling particles of urine, feces or saliva in enclosed spaces," the statement ⁠said. "There is no scientific evidence of person-to-person transmission in ⁠our country." The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said last month it had ended its ...
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Venezuela Confirms 3 People Have Died of Hantavirus Infections, With 2 More Deaths Suspected

Venezuela 2026-07-22
Actif

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- Venezuela confirmed on Tuesday that three people died of infections of hantavirus, but stressed there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission in the South American country, which has rarely reported cases of the rodent-borne disease in humans. The Health Ministry said hantavirus was also suspected in the deaths of two health workers in the southwestern state of Barinas. Those cases remain under investigation and were not linked to the three fatalities in the eastern state of Anzoátegui, about 655 kilometers (407 miles) away. Both states were spared the worst of the back-to-back major earthquakes that hit northern Venezuela earlier this month. The ministry described the deaths in Anzoátegui and Barinas as isolated incidents that "do not represent a risk to ...
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Deadly MV Hondius Hantavirus Outbreak Is Over, W.H.O. Says

Spain, Balearic Islands 2026-07-03
Actif

The rodent-borne virus, which sickened passengers on the MV Hondius, killed three people, led to a race to find its origin and a global health alert.

The reported illnesses this spring initially looked like the spread of a typical stomach bug on a luxury ocean liner, but the situation quickly escalated to a fatal outbreak of hantavirus, a rare rodent-borne pathogen, leading to weekslong quarantines for the ship's passengers and a global health alert.

But the outbreak is now over, the World Heal

📰 274 news sources reporting on this story.

🔗 Read more at china.org.cn/china.com.cn(中国网)

Canadians exposed to hantavirus on cruise ship complete isolation period

Argentina, Catamarca 2026-07-01
Actif

All Canadians who were exposed to the Andes hantavirus earlier this year linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship have finished their self-isolation period, Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada said on social media Monday.

Four Canadians were presumed to have been exposed to the rare virus aboard the luxury ship and immediately went into isolation upon returning to Canada May 10.

One of them, a traveller from the Yukon, subsequently tested positive for the virus, but fully recovered

📰 59 news sources reporting on this story.

🔗 Read more at marine-oceans.com

Hantavirus self-isolation complete for 34 Canadians, Health Canada says

Canada 2026-06-25
Actif

Health Canada says 34 Canadians who may have had exposure to Andes hantavirus related to the MV Hondius cruise ship have now completed their self-isolation and monitoring period. The one remaining contact and the recovered case in Canada are slated to complete their self-isolation period on June 26. B.C. health officials have said that the sole Canadian who fell ill with hantavirus recovered as of June 9. The confirmed case marked the first incident of Andes hantavirus being detected in Canada. Nine Canadians located in Ontario, Alberta and B.C. were deemed to have experienced "high risk exposure" and were directed to self-isolate. These Canadians were either passengers on the MV Hondius or had close contact with someone infected with hantavirus on a flight. Another 26 people across Canada...
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We're closing in on ending Hantavirus outbreak -- WHO

World, World 2026-06-24
Actif

Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, says the international response to the recent Hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship has brought the world closer to ending the health emergency.

According to him, the number of cases has remained unchanged while the majority of contacts identified across several countries have successfully completed their monitoring period.

Dr Tedros made the remarks in a social media post on Tuesday, June 23, while pr

📰 16 news sources reporting on this story.

🔗 Read more at birgun.net

Hantavirus Quarantine Ends for 18 Americans Exposed on a Cruise Ship

World, World 2026-06-23
Actif

No cases associated with the outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship have been confirmed in the U.S., health officials said.

Quarantine was lifted on Sunday for American passengers of a cruise ship that was hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak. The passengers had been held for weeks at a federal facility in Nebraska.

The day marks a return to day-to-day life for all 18 passengers, including the six who had stayed at the National Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center until t

📰 61 news sources reporting on this story.

🔗 Read more at AccessWDUN

Hantavirus cruise ship quarantine ends in Netherlands

Spain, Balearic Islands 2026-06-20
Actif

There were 12 confirmed and one probable hantavirus case stemming from the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius, including three deaths.

GENEVA - Almost all the passengers and crew of the cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak who had to quarantine in the Netherlands are now allowed to return home, the WHO chief said on June 18.

There were 12 confirmed and one probable case stemming from the MV Hondius, including three deaths, in an outbreak that sparked an international health alert.

The Dutch-f

📰 26 news sources reporting on this story.

🔗 Read more at Pakistan Today

Quarantine over for almost all hantavirus ship passengers, crew

Spain, Balearic Islands 2026-06-19
Actif

Geneva (AFP) - Almost all the passengers and crew of the cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak who had to quarantine in the Netherlands are now allowed to return home, the WHO chief said Thursday.

There were 12 confirmed and one probable case stemming from the MV Hondius, including three deaths, in an outbreak which sparked an internatonal health alert.

The Dutch-flagged ship set off April 1 from Ushuaia, Argentina, taking in remote islands in the South Atlantic Ocean before heading n

📰 21 news sources reporting on this story.

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Contenu Révisé Médicalement

Les informations sur les maladies sur Virus Watcher sont révisées par notre Épidémiologiste en Chef, ancien analyste principal du CDC pour les prévisions FluSight. Les données épidémiques sont agrégées à partir de sources vérifiées notamment BEACON, ProMED, OMS, CDC et plus de 50 agences nationales de santé. Ces informations sont à des fins éducatives et ne doivent pas remplacer les conseils médicaux professionnels.

Dernière révision : 2026-08-13

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