DILI, 06 May 2026 (TATOLI — The World Health Organization is monitoring a suspected hantavirus outbreak on a Dutch cruise ship sailing in the Atlantic Ocean after three people died and several others fell ill.
WHO said a cluster of passengers with severe respiratory illness aboard the vessel was reported to the agency on May 2. The ship is carrying 147 passengers and crew members.
As of May 4, seven cases had been identified, including two laboratory-confirmed cases of hantavirus and five suspected cases. The cases include three deaths, one critically ill patient and three individuals reporting mild symptoms.
According to WHO, illness onset occurred between April 6 and April 28 and was characterized by fever, gastrointestinal symptoms, rapid progression to pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome and shock. “Further investigations are ongoing,” WHO said in a statement.
The outbreak is being managed through coordinated international response, and includes in-depth investigations, case isolation and care, medical evacuation and laboratory investigations.
“Human hantavirus infection is primarily acquired through contact with the urine, faeces, or saliva of infected rodents. It is a rare but severe disease that can be deadly. Although uncommon, limited human to human transmission has been reported in previous outbreaks of Andes virus (a specific species of hantavirus),” WHO explained.
According to the WHO, hantavirus infections are associated with a case fatality rate of <1–15% in Asia and Europe and up to 50% in the Americas.
WHO said there are no specific treatment nor vaccines for hantavirus infections, early supportive care and immediate referral to a facility with a complete ICU can improve survival.
WHO currently assesses the risk to the global population from this event as low and will continue to monitor the epidemiological situation and update the risk assessment.
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