Discussion: Cruise ship hantavirus situation - May 2026

[Pathfinder]

The Zürich patient was probably on the april 25 flight to Johannesburg with the woman that died later. His/her onward flight needs to be contact traced as well. In addition, 2 people with mild symptoms visited St. Helena, which is why some people there are self-isolating

8:56 AM · May 6, 2026

[Pathfinder]

Translation Google

Hantavirus: "Everything is fine for us"—two French passengers describe life aboard the MV Hondius

Two of the five French nationals currently confined aboard the MV Hondius—the site of a hantavirus outbreak—have sent a statement to France Inter in which they seek to reassure the public. "No panic on board," affirm Julia and Roland, a retired couple aged 62 and 67.

By Béatrice Dugué • Published on Thursday, May 7, 2026, at 7:00 PM

The end of this "improbable adventure" is fast approaching for Julia and Roland, two of the five French passengers currently aboard the MV Hondius. The passengers of the cruise ship—the epicenter of a hantavirus outbreak—are scheduled to disembark this Saturday in the Canary Islands. On Thursday, May 7, the two retirees—aged 62 and 67, and originally from the Indre-et-Loire region—sent a statement to France Inter describing their daily life on board, noting that there is "no panic on board."

"To speak of an epidemic is incorrect; to imply a pandemic is dishonest," assert the couple, former freelance journalists specializing in nature and the environment. "There has never been an epidemic—only a cluster, an isolated instance of contamination," they are keen to clarify. "If there truly were an epidemic, we wouldn't have just a handful of sick people, but dozens—whether here on the ship or at our various ports of call. We have been on the same ship since April 1st and have been coexisting with the disease (without knowing it) this entire time, yet we have seen no exponential spread."

"We have the freedom to move around" the ship

They explain that they felt reassured following the evacuation of three suspected cases earlier this week: "A huge psychological burden has been lifted; those cases were our primary source of anxiety." In recent days, four doctors have boarded the ship to "assess the situation and prepare for the disembarkation." They admit they do not yet know what the immediate future holds for them: "We don't have any answers." The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ crisis unit is in contact with them.

In the meantime, "everything is going well for us—as it is for the three other French nationals, and indeed for all the tourists and staff aboard this ship." Life on board has changed somewhat, though without a strict lockdown: "We are advised to stay in our cabins as much as possible and to avoid large gatherings; however, we are free to move around—particularly on the outer decks, where we are permitted to remove our masks."

The ship is staffed by a remarkable Filipino crew, they also note: "We commend them, for this situation is no easier for them than it is for us—quite the opposite, in fact. They are young, and therefore potentially more anxious. The total dedication shown to the passengers by the ship's doctor and the expedition guide—both of whom are currently unwell—also deserves special mention."

"Neither a Luxury Cruise Nor a Standard Cruise"

In their statement, Julia and Roland—avid nature enthusiasts—also wish to clarify the specific purpose of this voyage, emphasizing that it is "neither a luxury cruise nor a standard leisure cruise." Aboard the *MV Hondius*, there are no swimming pools, saunas, or gyms—only "a small conference room," which is currently closed.

"All the passengers are passionate enthusiasts with diverse interests—interests far removed from the typical leisure activities associated with cruise vacations," they write. "Our group includes many ornithologists, history and geography buffs fascinated by remote locations, botanists, and specialists in cetaceans or astronomy." For instance, they have gone ashore—transported by Zodiac inflatable boats—onto uninhabited islands. "The average age of the passengers is relatively high—largely due to the financial and time commitments involved—but everyone on board is in good health."

https://www.radiofrance.fr/franceinter/podcasts/l-info-de-france-inter/hantavirus-tout-va-bien-pour-nous-deux-francais-racontent-la-vie-a-bord-du-mv-hondius-6642830

[Pathfinder]

Screenshot:



8:46 AM · May 7, 2026
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Translation Google

Clavijo manages to prevent the ship from docking in the Canary Islands and demands that it remain near the coast for the shortest possible time.

May 7, 2026 admin Agüimes , Ingenio , Mogán , San Bartolomé de Tirajana , Santa Lucía de Tirajana

The president of the Canary Islands argues that there was no legal obligation to receive the ship in Canary Island waters and maintains that the operation could have been carried out in Cape Verde.

The President of the Government of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo , has assessed the evolution of the situation of the ship related to the hantavirus case after the meeting held with the minister, assuring that the position of the regional Executive has been decisive in ensuring that the ship does not dock in the Canary Islands and remains anchored.

Clavijo stated that the Canary Islands Government has made it clear that “there was no legal obligation to receive that ship in Spanish and Canary Island waters ,” insisting that there was no need to bring it to the archipelago's shores. He explained that the operation could have been organized in the vicinity of Cape Verde , with the ship anchored and using one of its international airports to carry out the air evacuation of the passengers.

The Canary Islands president deemed it “unnecessary” to subject the passengers to a three- or four-day journey, given the anxiety they may be experiencing. Therefore, he argued that the evacuation could have been carried out directly from Cape Verde, avoiding bringing the ship closer to the Canary Islands.

Clavijo welcomed the fact that the Canary Islands Government's request for the ship to remain at anchor instead of docking had been granted , a measure which, in his opinion, improves safety and security conditions. He explained that the transfer of passengers, with or without symptoms, would be carried out by a vessel that would pick them up from the ship and take them directly to shore, where they would be transported to the airport wearing personal protective equipment.

The president emphasized that passengers will not be left stranded under any circumstances if the plane is not ready at the airport. The intention, he explained, is for the transfer to be direct: from the ship to the vehicles, from the vehicles to the plane, and from the plane to their countries of origin to complete the required quarantine there.

Clavijo also assured that, unless a passenger's condition worsens during the journey and becomes critical, no passenger will receive medical attention from the Canary Islands health service , regardless of whether they have symptoms. Regarding the 14 Spanish citizens , he indicated that they will be transferred to the Military Hospital in Madrid , where they will have to complete their quarantine under the supervision of the Ministry's Foreign Health Service.

The president also addressed the situation of the ship's crew, an issue that, he acknowledged, has not yet been fully resolved. Clavijo explained that the Canary Islands government has formally requested the Spanish government that, if the crew does not present symptoms or require urgent medical attention, they not disembark in the Canary Islands and continue with the ship to the Netherlands , the country of the ship's flag.

In this regard, he argued that the disinfection process and any other work on the vessel should be carried out in the Netherlands, where the shipowner is registered. Clavijo stated that he will convey this request to the team from the Dutch Embassy that will travel to the Canary Islands, emphasizing that the regional government's objective is for the ship to remain near the Canary Islands' coasts for the shortest time possible .

https://www.digitalfarocanarias.com/index.php/2026/05/07/clavijo-logra-que-el-buque-no-atraque-en-canarias-y-exige-que-permanezca-el-menor-tiempo-posible-cerca-de-las-costas/

[Toaster2]

There are now many negative tests, which is good to hear.

However, how quickly can the virus be detected after infection ? When symptoms develop I expect there to be enough virus. But what about before that. Deep airway sampling is not possible imho. Does anyone know ? Just wondering.

[Commonground]

How public health officials are tracing people who came in contact with hantavirus victims

by: By MIKE STOBBE, Associated Press
Posted: May 8, 2026 / 07:35 AM EDT
Updated: May 8, 2026 / 07:35 AM EDT


Excerpt:

Scientists are analyzing the virus’s genetics to see whether it has changed in a way to make it more transmissible.

They are also trying to learn exactly how it spreads, said Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo, chief executive officer of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. They believe people are mainly infectious when they have symptoms, and, if the virus spreads, it may be transmitted through small liquid particles that blow out of an infected person when they talk, cough or sneeze. ___

https://fox8.com/news/ap-how-public-health-officials-are-tracing-contacts-of-hantavirus-victims/

[Pathfinder]

About Andes Virus

For Everyone
May 7, 2026
...
How it spreads

Andes virus can spread:

• through contact with infected rodents or their urine, saliva, or feces
• by touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose or eyes
• through close contact with a person who is sick with Andes virus

...

https://flutrackers.com/forum/forum/national-international-government-ngo-preparation-response/cdc/1034310-cdc-about-andes-virus-may-07-2026

------------------------------------------------------------
Stability of Andes virus and its inactivation by WHO-recommended hand-rub formulations and surface disinfectants
...
Surface disinfectants inactivate ANDV

To comprehensively assess potential infection control measures, the efficacy of commonly used surface disinfectants against ANDV was evaluated. This was prompted by our finding that infectious ANDV can remain viable on stainless steel surfaces for up to 5 days, highlighting the importance of effective surface decontamination strategies.
...
Additional factors that influence the likelihood of direct transmission include environmental stability of the virus. Here, we found that ANDV exhibits stability on stainless steel similar to SARS-CoV-2, while the half-life of mpox virus (MPXV) ranges between 6–7 days.
...
In conclusion, our data suggest that ANDV is efficiently inactivated by all disinfectants tested, validating their potential utility in the context of the healthcare system and outbreak scenarios.

https://flutrackers.com/forum/forum/welcome-to-the-scientific-library/1034338-journal-of-hospital-infection-stability-of-andes-virus-and-its-inactivation-by-who-recommended-hand-rub-formulations-and-surface-disinfectants-december-2025

[Shiloh]

Source: https://lnginnorthernbc.ca/2026/05/0...n-the-country/


Argentina disputes that hantavirus outbreak began in the country
By AndreaPosted on08.05.2026

‘The possibility is practically zero, I cannot confirm it because this is biology’, said this Friday in a press conference the provincial director of Epidemiology, Juan Petrina, from the Tierra del Fuego region
Unsplash+/Vincent After
The cruise ship MV Hondius generated a health alert due to the outbreak of the disease

The provincial authorities of Tierra del Fuego, Argentina said this Friday (8) that “is practically zero” the possibility that the Dutch couple linked to the hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship had been infected in Ushuaia, the city from which the ship departed.

The generated a health alert due to the outbreak of the disease, which is transmitted through the feces, urine or saliva of infected rodents and for which there is no treatment or vaccine.

A passenger is believed to have contracted the disease before boarding on April 1 and infected others on board. At least three passengers died: the Dutch couple and a German woman.

“The possibility is practically zero, I cannot confirm it because this is biology”, said the provincial director of Epidemiology, Juan Petrina, this Friday at a press conference.

The person in charge said it was based on the province’s health history and the previous route of passengers.

Petrina highlighted that the couple stayed only 48 hours in Ushuaia before boarding and, therefore, “the calculations do not add up” for them to have been infected in the province, taking into account the period of incubation of the disease and the date of onset of symptoms reported by the WHO.

Added to this is the history of Tierra del Fuego: located in the extreme south of the country, it has not recorded cases of hantavirus since records existed (1996). According to the Argentine Ministry of Health, the hantavirus variant from the cruise “corresponds to the Andes strain, present in (Argentine provinces) Chubut, Río Negro and Neuquén, and in southern Chile”...