Hantavirus Outbreak Aboard Cruise Ship Raises Concerns

An outbreak of hantavirus aboard a cruise ship has resulted in the deaths of three passengers and caused illnesses in others. However, global health officials maintain that the risk to the general public is low, as hantaviruses do not easily spread between people.

Understanding Hantavirus

Hantaviruses are primarily spread through contact with rodents. This virus is rare, and human-to-human transmission is unusual. Severe cases can lead to respiratory or kidney failure. Maria Van Kerkhove from the World Health Organization emphasized that most people will not be exposed to hantavirus, reinforcing it is not akin to COVID-19.

Hantavirus has been present for centuries worldwide. It gained attention after Betsy Arakawa, wife of actor Gene Hackman, died from the virus in New Mexico.

Transmission and Spread

Hantavirus spreads via contaminated rodent droppings, particularly when inhaled. The current outbreak involves the Andes virus, which has rare person-to-person transmission possibilities. Paul Hunter, an infectious disease expert, explains that aerosolized rodent residue is the primary transmission method.

Unlike COVID-19, hantavirus is hard to contract, but once infected, it can be dangerous. Despite new cases emerging, the WHO considers the risk of a pandemic low as the Andes virus is not new or widely spreading.

Source of Current Outbreak

Investigations are ongoing to determine the source of the cruise ship outbreak. Argentine officials suspect it may have originated during a birdwatching trip in Ushuaia. However, the virus has not been previously reported in this province, with researchers suggesting climate change could be a factor in new hantavirus cases.

Symptoms and Severity

The illness starts with flu-like symptoms, such as fever, muscle aches, and chills. It can progress to severe conditions like hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which causes respiratory distress, or hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, leading to bleeding and organ failure. Death rates vary; the pulmonary syndrome has a fatality rate of about 35%, while renal syndrome varies between 1% and 15%.

Prevalence and History

Globally, hantavirus infections are rare. For instance, in 2025, 229 cases were recorded across eight American countries, causing 59 deaths. In Argentina, 28 hantavirus-related deaths occurred last year.

In the U.S., tracking began after a 1993 outbreak that caught attention due to emerging patterns of young patients’ deaths. Most cases occur in Western states where rodent encounters are more frequent, especially in rural areas.

About the Andes Virus

Named after the Hantaan River in Korea, hantaviruses were first identified during the 1950s Korean War. The Andes virus is a notable exception, being the possible source of recent person-to-person transmissions. However, such transmission requires close contact and is not prevalent.

Steven Bradfute, a researcher at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, highlights that large-scale person-to-person transmission has never been recorded, minimizing the risk of widespread outbreak.

Challenges in Treatment

There is currently no specific cure for hantavirus infections. Early medical intervention improves survival chances. Researchers continue studying why severity varies among individuals and how immune responses develop. Prevention focuses on reducing rodent exposure.

Public health recommendations include using bleach solutions and protective gloves for cleaning, as well as avoiding sweeping or vacuuming rodent droppings to prevent airborne virus particles.

Mike Stobbe, Randy Herschaft, and Isabel Debre contributed to this report.