WHO declares hantavirus outbreak over. Here is what it means.
Timestamp shown in UTC unless otherwise indicated.
The end of the outbreak
On July 2, 2026, the World Health Organization put an end to it. The hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship is officially over.
The final report — Disease Outbreak News DON611. It states: 'This outbreak no longer poses a public health risk. No further related transmission is expected.'
13 cases. 12 laboratory-confirmed. 1 probable. Three people died. Two patients remain under medical supervision.
653 contacts — zero infections
Over two months, health workers tracked 653 contacts across 33 countries. 317 were considered high-risk. 336 were low-risk.
All completed 42-day quarantine. That is twice the usual incubation period. Nobody developed the disease.
Among the contacts — passengers, crew members, healthcare workers. Even people from two international flights were monitored.
'The completion of contact follow-up without detection of additional secondary cases demonstrates effective interruption of transmission. This outbreak no longer poses a public health risk.' — WHO, DON611, July 2, 2026
Timeline: how the outbreak closed
On June 21, monitoring of all US passengers ended. 18 people left the quarantine center in Nebraska. Zero Andes virus cases in the US.
On June 22, the UK closed the quarantine zone at Arrowe Park Hospital. 20 British passengers completed isolation. All are healthy.
On June 24, CDC officially ended its response. HHS announced: 'Monitoring is complete. No one remains under observation.'
On July 2, WHO drew the line. The outbreak lasted exactly three months — from April 1 to July 2.
Final numbers
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Confirmed cases | 12 |
| Probable | 1 |
| Deaths | 3 |
| Monitoring countries | 33 |
| High-risk contacts | 317 |
| Low-risk contacts | 336 |
| Hospitalized | 10 |
| Recovered and discharged | 8 |
| Still in treatment | 2 |
| Case fatality rate | 23% |
Two in hospital
Of the ten hospitalized patients, eight have fully recovered. They returned home to their families.
Two remain in hospitals. One in South Africa. Another in France. Their condition is stable, doctors report positive progress.
The 23% fatality rate is typical for Andes virus. In South America, where the virus is endemic, the numbers are the same.
What happens next
Now the scientific work begins. Virus samples are being studied in laboratories. Scientists are searching for tests, treatments, and vaccines.
Complete Andes virus genomes have already been sequenced. This will help understand how the virus mutates and spreads.
The MV Hondius outbreak was the first recorded international spread of Andes virus via a cruise ship. The lessons will be analyzed for years.
- Outbreak lasted 3 months: April 1 — July 2
- 12 confirmed cases, 1 probable
- 3 deaths (CFR 23%)
- 653 contacts in 33 countries
- 8 discharged, 2 in hospital
- Zero secondary cases outside the ship
The main takeaway
33 countries, four continents, 653 contacts. And zero new infections after passengers left the ship.
Coordination worked. WHO, ECDC, CDC, PAHO, and national health authorities did the impossible. They stopped a virus that had already spread across the globe.
The question is: are we ready for the next outbreak? The system held this time. But next time could be worse.