The Hantavirus cruise ship outbreak is spreading beyond the MV Hondius. As of 11 May, nine cases have been reported in total, including seven confirmed and two probable. But new cases are emerging as passengers return home — including Americans now in biocontainment facilities and a French woman who tested positive after landing in France.
GossipShop brings you the complete latest update.
The Numbers Keep Rising
The total number of confirmed and probable cases of hantavirus onboard the ship has risen to 11, including two people confirmed to have died from the virus and one person who remains suspected to have died from the virus.
This represents a significant increase from the initial 8 cases reported just days ago. The virus is not done yet.
Americans in Biocontainment
Eighteen passengers from the cruise ship at the center of the hantavirus outbreak are back in the US and being monitored at medical units. Sixteen of those people, including one who tested positive, are in Nebraska, and two others are in Atlanta.
An American on the repatriation flight began showing symptoms of hantavirus and another “tested mildly PCR positive for the Andes virus,” the Department of Health and Human Services says.
One American is in the biocontainment unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Two others are in Atlanta at Emory University — one showing symptoms. This brings confirmed US cases to at least two, with a third symptomatic case under investigation.
French Woman Tests Positive
A woman, who was one of five French nationals who were evacuated from the ship, tested positive for hantavirus and is being treated in a specialist hospital, French Health Minister Stephanie Rist told French radio station France Inter. The passenger began showing symptoms during her return from Tenerife and tested positive upon arrival. Her health deteriorated overnight, Rist said.
The French case is particularly concerning because the woman developed symptoms during her flight home — meaning she was symptomatic and potentially contagious while traveling with other passengers.
Expert Warning: This Spreads More Easily Than Initially Thought
A Harvard University professor is challenging official health guidance about how the virus spreads.
Some cases of hantavirus did not require prolonged close contact, and people who were aboard the cruise ship where the virus was detected should quarantine, said Joseph Allen, a professor at the Harvard University School of Public Health, on Monday. “In fact, one person passed it to another person at a birthday party simply by passing by and saying hello. That’s not prolonged contact,” Allen told CNN’s Erin Burnett about a previous outbreak outside the US. “I don’t think we should be messing around here,” Allen said. “Anyone on that ship is high risk.”
This directly contradicts official WHO and CDC guidance that Andes virus requires “close, prolonged contact” to spread. If Allen is correct, hundreds of cruise passengers may be at much higher risk than authorities realize.
How It All Started
Case 1: An adult male who boarded the ship on 1 April, after more than three months of travel in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay. Developed symptoms on 6 April and died onboard on 11 April. No microbiological tests were performed. He is considered a probable case.
This “Patient Zero” had spent three months traveling through South America — exactly where Andes virus is endemic. He brought the virus onto the ship and died 10 days later. From him, the virus spread to at least 10 other people.
Case 2: An adult female, who was a close contact of case 1, who travelled and boarded the ship with him, went ashore at Saint Helena on 24 April with gastrointestinal symptoms. She subsequently deteriorated on a flight to Johannesburg, South Africa, on 25 April. She died on 26 April in a Johannesburg clinic.
The second victim was his travel companion. She died in South Africa — meaning the virus has already reached at least four continents through this outbreak.
Global Passenger Tracking Underway
Passengers from the MV Hondius have now returned to:
- United States (18 passengers — 1 confirmed positive, 1 symptomatic)
- France (5 passengers — 1 confirmed positive)
- Netherlands (multiple passengers)
- Spain (14 passengers being monitored)
- South Africa (1 death confirmed)
Additionally, nine U.S. cruise ship passengers who disembarked prior to the outbreak being discovered are being monitored by state health departments, officials said. Two are in Texas, two are in Georgia, one is in Virginia, one is in Arizona and one is in California.
Health authorities are racing to track down every passenger who left the ship before the outbreak was identified. Some may have carried the virus home without knowing it.
What About Nigeria?
The MV Hondius cruise ship made stops across the South Atlantic, including African islands. While no Nigerian passengers have been confirmed, the ship’s route included:
- Saint Helena (British territory near African coast)
- Ascension Island (British territory)
- Cape Verde (evacuations occurred here)
Any Nigerian who traveled on flights from these locations between April 25 and May 10 should monitor for symptoms. The French woman who tested positive was symptomatic during her flight — meaning other passengers on international flights may have been exposed.
Nigerian health authorities should immediately contact WHO to confirm whether any Nigerian nationals were on the ship or on flights with confirmed cases.
Symptoms to Watch For
Hantavirus symptoms typically appear 4-42 days after exposure:
- Fever above 38°C
- Severe muscle aches
- Fatigue
- Nausea and vomiting
- Severe breathing difficulties
- Chest pain
HPS can cause breathing difficulties, and patients may need breathing support, such as intubation.
If you develop these symptoms and have any connection to the MV Hondius outbreak — contact emergency services immediately and mention the hantavirus exposure risk.
Ship Still At Sea
The ship still has “around 30 people, the crew and two health workers, and they will need our support throughout their journey until they reach Rotterdam,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization.
The MV Hondius is still sailing toward Netherlands with 30 crew members and 2 health workers aboard. They remain at risk until the ship reaches Rotterdam and everyone disembarks.
GossipShop Verdict
This outbreak is growing beyond the original cruise ship. Cases in the US, France, and potentially other countries show the virus has spread globally through air travel. Harvard experts warn it may be more contagious than authorities initially thought.
For Nigerians — the risk remains low but not zero. Monitor the news. Watch for symptoms. And demand that Nigerian health authorities confirm whether any Nigerian nationals were involved.
This is not COVID-19 — but it is deadly enough to kill 30-40 percent of those infected. Stay informed. 🌍
