CDC - About Andes Virus - updated May 9, 2026

[Pathfinder]

See post #3 for May 9 updated version


About Andes Virus

For Everyone
May 7, 2026

Key points

• Andes virus is a type of hantavirus that can cause a severe respiratory disease in people, called Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS).
• The virus can spread through contact with rodents, by touching an object with the virus on it, or, rarely, through contact with a sick person who has the virus.
• Early symptoms can look like flu.
• If you think you had contact with a person with Andes virus and are experiencing symptoms, contact a medical professional immediately.

Overview

Andes virus is a type of hantavirus spread by rodents in South America and, less commonly, by other infected people. The rodents that carry Andes virus have not been found in the United States. It can cause a severe respiratory disease in people, called Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS). Andes virus is the only type of hantavirus that is known to spread person-to-person. This spread is usually limited to people who have close contact with a sick person. This includes direct physical contact, prolonged time spent in close or enclosed spaces, and exposure to the sick person's body fluids.

For Health Care Providers
Clinician Brief: Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS)

Signs and symptoms

​Andes virus

Early symptoms can look like flu and include:

• Headache
• Fever
• Muscle ache/back pain
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Cough
• Chest pain
• Loss of appetite
• Difficulty breathing

Typically, people are only infectious while they have symptoms.

Timing

4-42 days

Signs and symptoms of infection appear 4 to 42 days after exposure.

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

Reducing risk

Avoid areas infested with rodents while visiting countries in South America.

Avoid spread between people by:

• Washing hands frequently
• Avoiding kissing and sexual contact with someone who may have Andes virus
• Avoid sharing drinks, cigarettes, hookah, and vapes with someone who may have Andes virus
• Avoid sharing eating utensils or eating food from the same plate or bowl as someone who may have Andes virus
• Maintaining distance from someone who may have Andes virus

Treatment

When immediate care is needed

If you may have had contact with a person with Andes virus and are experiencing symptoms, contact a medical professional immediately.

There is no specific antiviral treatment or vaccine for Andes virus currently available. Symptoms may develop rapidly. Early medical care is critical with care centered on managing symptoms.
​
...

https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/about/andesvirus.html

 

[Commonground]

[emphasis is mine. Appendix 1.2 is posted below]

CDC Interim Guidance | Andes Virus Public Health Investigation, May 10, 2026

​Interim Guidance for Public Health Assessment and Management of People with Potential Exposure to Andes Virus

*This interim guidance reflects current evidence as of May 10, 2026, and may be updated as new information is available.

Purpose

The purpose of this document is to support health departments in managing individuals who have experienced a potential exposure associated with the M/V Hondius Andes virus outbreak. Andes virus is a type of hantavirus and the only type that is known to spread person-to-person.

Definitions

For the purposes of this guidance, the following definitions apply.
[click on image to enlarge]




Exposure Risk Stratification

Risk for known contacts is stratified into two levels.

High-risk contact:

• Being aboard the M/V Hondius at any time from April 6 (date of symptom onset for the index case) through the date of

disembarkation of the exposed passenger cohort is considered high risk due to likelihood of prolonged close contact

among passengers and crew, shared living spaces, and the potential for recall bias when assessing exposures and

symptom onset; or

• Answering “yes” to any of the exposure questions in Section 1.2 of the questionnaire (Appendix 1); or

• Being on an aircraft with a symptomatic case-patient and sitting within two seats in any direction*

Low-risk contact:

Any contact not meeting high-risk criteria who meets at least one of the following:

• Answering “no” to all of the exposure questions in Section 1.2 of the questionnaire (Appendix 1); or

• Being on an aircraft with a symptomatic case-patient and sitting further away than two seats in any direction

*Aircraft crew members and anyone who provided direct assistance to the case-patient on board the aircraft should be

individually assessed for high-risk exposures.

Note: If a person reports an activity of concern that is not covered in the exposure questions, please contact the CDC Emergency

Operations Center at 770-488-7100 to further discuss appropriate risk classification.


Risk-Based Management for Contacts

All Contacts

Health departments should provide all individuals identified as contacts with a way to reach the health department at any time

(24/7), education and a fact sheet on Andes virus, including information on signs and symptoms and general precautions such as

hand hygiene. They should additionally provide instructions on what contacts should do if they become symptomatic, including

how to reach the health department 24/7 and where to seek health care.

The recommended monitoring period is for 42 days after the last potential exposure. During this period, all contacts should take

their temperature at least one time daily and monitor themselves for symptoms of hantavirus and also be monitored regularly by

public health authorities, as specified by risk level below. They should be instructed to self-isolate immediately in a designated

space away from others (preferably with a private bathroom) if they develop fever or other symptoms, and to call the health

department immediately for further instructions.

• Fever, measured ≥ 100.4oF (38oC) or subjectively

• New or worsening

• Headache

• Nausea and/or vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Muscle aches/back pain

• Chest pain

• Cough

• Difficulty breathing/shortness of breath
​

Monitoring by the health department may include:

• Conducting regular check-ins to assess fever and symptoms and overall health status

o Monitoring can be conducted by phone, video conferencing, other electronic means (e.g., text message, email,

app, web form), or in person, according to resources available in that jurisdiction.

• Reviewing temperature logs or other symptom reports submitted by the contact (if requested by health department)

• Reinforcing recommendations on activity modifications and infection prevention measures, and actions to take if

symptomatic

• Documenting health department interactions with the contact and following up promptly if a check-in is missed

The goal of daily monitoring is to support the individual while facilitating early detection and rapid public health response if fever

or other symptoms develop. Health departments should contact CDC Viral Special Pathogens Branch by calling the CDC

Emergency Operations Center at 770-488-7100 for clinical consultation and/or to request testing. If testing is warranted,

contacts should remain isolated pending test results.

High-Risk Contacts

Location and Housing

High-risk contacts have the option for home-based management (i.e., monitoring with modified activities) or facility-based

management at the National Quarantine Unit in Nebraska or a location identified by a health department of jurisdiction.

If home-based management is preferred, the health department should coordinate with the high-risk contact to assess their

capacity to follow public health directions. The individual should have a suitable home environment with access to a designated

space in the home to isolate away from others immediately if symptoms develop, ideally with access to a private bathroom, for

the duration of the monitoring period. Health departments should identify a hospital with capacity to isolate patients and to

provide critical care, including extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO); CDC can provide technical assistance as needed.

Monitoring

Health departments should monitor high-risk contacts daily until 42 days after the last known high-risk exposure. For passengers

on the M/V Hondius, day 0 of the monitoring period is the date of disembarkation from the ship, provided no further exposures

occur.

Travel

Health departments should advise high-risk contacts not to travel (domestically or internationally) during the monitoring period.

However, if they do intend to travel, travel should be by chartered flight (no commercial air travel) and/or personal vehicle only.

Additionally, high-risk contacts should notify the health department of jurisdiction, and the health department should notify and

coordinate with the receiving jurisdiction in advance of travel. If travel is international, CDC can assist with making notifications

to destination authorities.

Activities

Health departments should advise high-risk contacts to modify their activities during the monitoring period to protect their

household members and communities. See the following table for more information.

[cllck on image to enlarge]
​


-snip-

Appendix 1. Andes Virus Exposure Assessment Questionnaire
​-snip-

1.2 Exposures

Did you do any of the following activities with a person who had Andes virus (or who might have had Andes virus), specifically after they got sick? If yes, provide the date last engaged in this activity, if known.
[click on image to enlarge]

continued: https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/media/pdfs/2026/05/Andes_virus_guidance_8FINAL.pdf
​
​


​

 

[sharon sanders]

Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers


About Andes Virus

For Everyone
May 9, 2026 Español


Key points

• Andes virus is a type of hantavirus that can cause a severe respiratory disease in people, called Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS).
• The virus can spread through contact with rodents, by touching an object with the virus on it, or, rarely, through contact with a sick person who has the virus.
• Early symptoms can look like flu.
• If you think you had contact with a person with Andes virus and are experiencing symptoms, contact a medical professional immediately.

Overview


Andes virus is a type of hantavirus spread by rodents in South America and, less commonly, by other infected people. The rodents that carry Andes virus have not been found in the United States. It can cause a severe respiratory disease in people, called Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS). Andes virus is the only type of hantavirus that is known to spread person-to-person. This spread is usually limited to people who have close contact with a sick person. This includes direct physical contact, prolonged time spent in close or enclosed spaces, and exposure to the sick person's body fluids.


For Health Care Providers

Clinician Brief: Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS)


Signs and symptoms

Timing

4-42 days


Signs and symptoms of HPS due to Andes virus appear 4 to 42 days after exposure.


Early symptoms of HPS due to Andes virus can include:

• Fatigue
• Fever
• Muscle aches, especially in the large muscle groups like the thighs, hips, back, and sometimes shoulders

About half of all patients with HPS also experience:

• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Chills
• Abdominal problems, like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain

Typically, people are only infectious while they have symptoms.

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

Reducing risk


Avoid areas infested with rodents while visiting countries in South America.

Avoid spread between people by:

• Washing hands frequently
• Avoiding kissing and sexual contact with someone who may have Andes virus
• Avoid sharing drinks, cigarettes, hookah, and vapes with someone who may have Andes virus
• Avoid sharing eating utensils or eating food from the same plate or bowl as someone who may have Andes virus
• Maintaining distance from someone who may have Andes virus

Treatment

When immediate care is needed

If you may have had contact with a person with Andes virus and are experiencing symptoms, contact a medical professional immediately.

There is no specific antiviral treatment or vaccine for Andes virus currently available. Symptoms may develop rapidly. Early medical care is critical with care centered on managing symptoms.

Resources

Andes Virus Public Health Guidance
Download
Hantavirus Case Definition and Reporting
Hantavirus: Current Situation
Andes Virus Outbreak on a Cruise Ship: Frequently Asked Questions


On This Page

• Overview
• Signs and symptoms
• How it spreads
• Reducing risk
• Treatment
• Resources

Related Pages

• About Hantavirus
• Reported Cases of Hantavirus Disease
• Hantavirus Prevention
• FAQs
• Outbreak Toolkit

View AllHantavirus
Hantavirus Prevention​

https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/about/andesvirus.html