health
May 8, 2026
What you need to know about the possible hantavirus outbreak alarming the planet
The typical incubation period of the virus ranges from one to six weeks, explains WHO epidemic prevention chief Maria Van Kerkhove
TL;DR
- Three passengers have died and several others have fallen ill on the MV Hondius cruise ship.
- A possible hantavirus outbreak is suspected, with the ship currently anchored off Cape Verde.
- Victims include a Dutch couple and a German passenger; other cases involve passengers and crew from the UK and Netherlands.
- Medical evacuations are underway, with some patients in intensive care.
- The WHO suspects a strain of hantavirus transmitted from rodents, possibly contracted before boarding.
- No vaccines or specific treatments exist for hantavirus.