Here's a summary of what's happening with hantavirus right now: Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship MV Hondius — May 2026 A significant hantavirus cluster has made international headlines this week. Since April 2026, an outbreak has been identified on the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius. As of May 6, it is anchored off the coast of Praia, Cape Verde, where passengers remain unable to disembark. (Wikipedia) How it started The first suspected case was a Dutch man who fell ill on the ship with a fever, headache, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. He died on board on April 11. He and his wife had been birdwatching at a landfill outside Ushuaia, Argentina — not normally considered a hazardous activity — where he may have been exposed to the virus, though this theory has yet to be confirmed. (NPR) Current situation As of May 7, there are eight cases linked to the MV Hondius, with three passenger deaths. Nearly 150 passengers and crew from 23 nationalities remain on board. (Time) Countries including Singapore, Canada, and France are monitoring or isolating individuals who were on the ship or on the same flights as confirmed cases. U.S. officials in at least five states are monitoring seven returning passengers. (CNN) The Andes strain Most hantavirus infections are "dead-end" — a human gets infected from rodent droppings but doesn't pass it on to anyone else. The Andes virus is an exception: it can spread between people, giving it the potential to spark outbreaks. (CNN) Human-to-human transmission has been associated with close and prolonged contact, particularly among household members, intimate partners, and people providing medical care. (NPR) Symptoms and treatment Hantavirus infection starts with flu-like symptoms — fatigue, fever, muscle aches, and sometimes diarrhea and vomiting — and can progress to a severe, sometimes deadly respiratory infection. There is no vaccine or specific treatment; supportive care such as being put on a ventilator can help. (NPR) Should the public be worried? WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said the overall public health risk remains low, and officials have dismissed the concern of hantavirus becoming a global pandemic threat like COVID-19. (Time)