Hantavirus and the MV Hondius Cruise Ship Outbreak 2026. What UK Returning Travellers and the Public Need to Know
Last updated. 13 May 2026 Medically reviewed by The Online GP by The Wellness clinical team. GMC-registered
In May 2026 a hantavirus outbreak was confirmed on the Dutch-flagged cruise ship MV Hondius, which had sailed from Ushuaia in Argentina across the South Atlantic with stops including South Georgia, Tristan da Cunha, Saint Helena and Ascension Island. The strain has been identified as Andes virus, the only hantavirus known to spread person-to-person. As of 13 May 2026, the World Health Organization has confirmed 8 cases (6 confirmed, 2 suspected) with 3 deaths, all of foreign nationals. Three British nationals are among the cases. UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and ECDC assess the risk to the wider UK and European public as very low.
If you have recently returned from South America or were on the MV Hondius and are concerned about symptoms, a same-day GMC-registered doctor at The Online GP by The Wellness can assess you within hours by phone from £59, video from £150 or in-person from £220. Enquire on WhatsApp or email team@thewellnesslondon.com.
What happened on the MV Hondius
The MV Hondius is a Dutch-flagged expedition cruise ship that departed Ushuaia, Argentina, in early April 2026 with 147 passengers and crew on board. Its itinerary included mainland Antarctica, South Georgia, Nightingale Island, Tristan da Cunha, Saint Helena and Ascension Island before reaching waters off Cape Verde on 3 May 2026 and continuing to Tenerife, where it arrived on 10 May 2026.
Symptom onset among passengers and crew occurred between 6 and 28 April 2026. The clinical picture was characterised by fever, gastrointestinal symptoms, rapid progression to pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome and shock. On 2 May 2026, the WHO was notified by the UK International Health Regulations Focal Point of a cluster of severe acute respiratory illness on board, including two deaths and one critically ill passenger. Laboratory testing in South Africa confirmed hantavirus infection in the critically ill patient on the same day. The National Institute for Communicable Diseases in South Africa and Geneva University Hospitals subsequently confirmed the strain as Andes hantavirus.
As of 13 May 2026, WHO has confirmed 8 cases (6 confirmed and 2 suspected) with 3 fatalities, all foreign nationals. Three British nationals are included in the cases. Two confirmed British cases are currently in hospital, one in South Africa and one in the Netherlands. A third British case lives on Tristan da Cunha and is being monitored there.
Why is Andes hantavirus a particular concern
Andes virus is the only hantavirus strain with documented person-to-person transmission. According to the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, transmission between people is still rare and requires close, prolonged contact, typically with someone visibly unwell. Most cases globally are still acquired from rodents, specifically the long-tailed pygmy rice rat in southern Argentina and Chile, where Andes virus is endemic.
In the UK, Andes hantavirus is classified as a High Consequence Infectious Disease (HCID). This classification is precautionary and triggers higher levels of infection prevention and control, including specialist isolation facilities, dedicated personal protective equipment and rigorous contact tracing. The HCID designation does not mean Andes virus spreads like influenza or COVID-19. It does not. ECDC has stated that the Andes virus does not spread easily between people and that the rodent reservoir is not present in Europe, so sustained community transmission is not expected.
Andes virus causes hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (also called hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome), which has a case fatality rate of approximately 35 to 40 per cent. The disease typically progresses through three phases. An early flu-like prodromal phase lasting four to seven days. A cardiopulmonary phase characterised by pulmonary oedema, hypotension and shock, which can deteriorate within 24 to 48 hours. A convalescent phase in survivors, who frequently become polyuric before recovering rapidly.
How is the UK responding to the outbreak
The UK government is co-ordinating a precautionary response led by UKHSA, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England and the devolved administrations. British nationals on the MV Hondius without symptoms are being escorted from Tenerife by chartered flight to the UK. On arrival they are transferred to a managed isolation facility at Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral for clinical assessment and PCR testing.
Some contacts are now returning home or to other suitable accommodation to complete a 45-day isolation period under public health supervision, following negative PCR tests at Arrowe Park. Health protection teams across the UK are providing daily contact, monitoring and tailored support packages so contacts can isolate safely. Ten people from the UK Overseas Territories of Saint Helena and Ascension Island are being brought to the UK to complete self-isolation under appropriate medical oversight.
The 45-day isolation window reflects the upper end of the Andes virus incubation period. According to peer-reviewed data published in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Andes virus has a median incubation of 18 days, with a range of 7 to 42 days. This is significantly longer than the incubation of influenza (one to four days) or SARS-CoV-2 (typically two to five days). The long incubation is the central operational reason for a 45-day quarantine.
WHO, UKHSA and ECDC all assess the risk to the wider UK and European population as very low.
What if I was a passenger or crew on the MV Hondius
If you were a passenger or crew member on the MV Hondius, you should be in direct contact with UKHSA and the local health protection team in your area. Follow their instructions on monitoring and isolation precisely. The 45-day isolation period exists because Andes virus has an unusually long incubation period and cases can emerge late.
During isolation, monitor your temperature twice a day and note any new symptoms. Report any of the following to your assigned UKHSA contact straight away. Fever above 37.8°C. New onset of muscle aches, particularly in the thighs, hips, lower back or shoulders. Severe headache or fatigue. Persistent gastrointestinal symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea or abdominal pain. Any shortness of breath, cough or chest tightness.
If you develop severe shortness of breath, chest pain, fainting or confusion, call 999 immediately and state that you are an MV Hondius contact under UKHSA monitoring. The HCID protocols will be activated by the emergency services.
For low-grade or non-urgent symptoms, your UKHSA contact remains the primary point of escalation. Private GP services are not a substitute for the formal public health response in this situation. However, The Online GP by The Wellness can support concurrent non-Hantavirus medical needs (repeat prescriptions, unrelated health issues, fit notes, family member assessments) by video from £150, allowing you to remain in isolation. Book a video consultation on WhatsApp.
What if I have recently returned from South America but was not on the cruise
You are at very low risk. Andes hantavirus circulates in rural parts of southern Argentina and Chile, particularly in Patagonia. Tourists in urban areas (Buenos Aires, Santiago, Mendoza) have minimal exposure. Higher-risk activities include staying in rural cabins, hiking and camping in rodent-inhabited terrain, cleaning long-disused buildings or vehicles, and sleeping in rodent-infested dwellings.
If you spent significant time in rural South America in the last eight weeks and have flu-like symptoms (fever, muscle aches, headache, fatigue, gastrointestinal upset), you should be assessed by a GP within 24 hours. Make sure to mention your travel history clearly, including the rural areas visited, type of accommodation, and any rodent or droppings exposure. A good clinical history is the single most important factor in getting hantavirus considered and tested in time.
If you also have shortness of breath, chest tightness or a fast heart rate, this is potentially urgent. Attend A&E or call 111. Tell the receiving team about your travel history.
Many returning travellers want a clean bill of health and a baseline check after a long trip. The Online GP by The Wellness offers post-travel health checks combining structured history-taking, examination, blood tests (full blood count, renal and liver function, CRP, ferritin, vitamin D, and other panels as indicated), urinalysis and, where appropriate, doctor-led ultrasound from £195 and ECG. In-person same-day appointments start from £220 at the Marylebone clinic, adjacent to Harley Street and three minutes from Baker Street Underground.
Book a post-travel health check on WhatsApp.
Can I catch hantavirus on a plane or in a public place
Andes hantavirus does not spread through casual social contact. Routine activities such as walking past someone, using public transport, working in a shared office or eating at a restaurant carry essentially zero risk of person-to-person transmission. According to ECDC, transmission requires the kind of prolonged close contact typically seen between household members or intimate partners.
The exception that prompted contact tracing for the MV Hondius outbreak was a flight from Saint Helena to Johannesburg, on which one of the confirmed cases (Case 2) deteriorated en route and later died on arrival. Passengers and crew on that flight are being traced as a precaution, but this is standard public health practice for any HCID, not a sign that flights generally pose a transmission risk.
If you are flying back from South America or a region with hantavirus activity and are well, you do not need to take any special precautions beyond standard travel hygiene. If you become unwell during a flight with high fever, breathlessness or severe muscle aches, inform cabin crew so that the airline can co-ordinate with public health authorities on arrival.
Are UK rodents a hantavirus risk
UK rodents do not carry Andes hantavirus. They never have. The natural rodent reservoir for Andes virus is found in southern South America, not in the UK or Europe.
The only hantavirus strain ever identified in UK rodents is Seoul hantavirus, carried by wild brown rats and pet rats. Seoul virus causes haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), which is generally milder than the South American strains and has a case fatality rate below 1 per cent. Critically, Seoul virus does not spread between people. Cases in the UK are rare and almost always linked to occupational or pet rat exposure.
UKHSA surveillance studies have found 21.6 per cent of brown rats and 28.8 per cent of house mice seropositive in Northern Ireland, with 50 per cent of brown rats positive for Seoul virus in Yorkshire. Pet rat breeding colonies have shown 33 to 100 per cent seroprevalence in some studies. Since 2012, only 11 confirmed human cases of Seoul hantavirus have been reported in the UK, nine linked to pet rats or rats kept for reptile feeding.
UKHSA's existing guidance on safely handling pet rodents remains unchanged. There is no reason to consider large-scale public health interventions, nor to start culling urban rats. Standard hygiene (washing hands after handling rodents or cleaning cages, ventilating spaces before cleaning droppings, avoiding dry sweeping) is sufficient for the general public.
Should I get tested for hantavirus
You should consider testing if you have flu-like symptoms within eight weeks of either being on the MV Hondius, close household contact with a confirmed case, or significant exposure to rodents in rural South America. The right testing pathway depends on your circumstances.
For confirmed MV Hondius contacts, testing is co-ordinated through UKHSA and is provided as part of the public health response. Do not arrange private testing in parallel without first speaking to your assigned UKHSA contact.
For anyone outside that group with a high-risk exposure history and active symptoms, the appropriate first step is a same-day GP assessment, which can organise initial blood tests (full blood count, urea and electrolytes, CRP), chest X-ray where indicated, and onward referral to hospital. Specialist hantavirus serology and PCR is performed only through UKHSA reference laboratories, not through commercial private labs in the UK. A private GP triggers the referral, escalation and notification process. They do not run the test themselves.
For travellers without symptoms who simply want reassurance after a high-risk trip, hantavirus testing is generally not indicated. Routine post-travel screening focuses on more common returning-traveller conditions such as malaria, dengue, schistosomiasis, hepatitis A and B, and traveller's diarrhoea. The Online GP by The Wellness offers comprehensive post-travel screening packages tailored to itinerary and risk profile.
What support does The Online GP by The Wellness offer
The Online GP by The Wellness is the private GP service of The Wellness, a CQC-registered clinic in Marylebone, adjacent to Harley Street and a three-minute walk from Baker Street Underground. Every doctor is GMC-registered and UK-trained. The service is built around three priorities relevant to the current outbreak.
First, fast triage. Phone consultations from £59 are typically booked within one to two hours and are ideal for assessing flu-like symptoms with a travel history, deciding on next steps, and arranging blood tests or in-person assessment. Video consultations from £150 enable doctors to see visible symptoms and are well suited to patients isolating at home.
Second, integrated diagnostics. In-person consultations at our Marylebone clinic from £220 include same-day phlebotomy with results often within hours, doctor-led ultrasound from £195 (chest, abdomen, kidneys, vascular), and ECG. This allows initial workup of a febrile traveller to happen in a single visit rather than across several days.
Third, multilingual care. Doctors at the clinic speak English, Arabic, Spanish, French and Dutch. For Spanish-speaking returning travellers from South America, or for partners and family members caring for someone unwell, this matters.
Prescriptions, referral letters, fit notes and follow-up advice via secure messaging are included in the consultation fee. There are no NHS registration requirements and no waiting lists.
Enquire on WhatsApp, email team@thewellnesslondon.com, or call 020 3951 3429.
What you should not do
Do not panic. Hantavirus does not spread through casual contact. The UK public is at very low risk.
Do not present to A&E for routine flu-like symptoms without a specific exposure history. UKHSA assesses the wider community risk as very low, and A&E should be reserved for emergency symptoms.
Do not delay seeking advice if you do have a relevant exposure history and active symptoms. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome can deteriorate quickly in the cardiopulmonary phase, and outcomes are significantly better with early intensive care.
Do not start any antiviral or alternative remedy on the basis of unverified online claims. There is no effective specific antiviral treatment for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Care is supportive and best delivered in hospital intensive care for severe cases.
Do not ignore continued symptoms in week six, seven or eight after exposure. Andes virus can present up to 42 days after exposure, which is why the public health isolation window is 45 days.
Frequently asked questions
How many people have died from the MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak. As of 13 May 2026, WHO has confirmed 3 deaths, all foreign nationals. Eight cases have been confirmed or suspected. Three British nationals are among the cases. Two confirmed British cases are in hospital, one in South Africa and one in the Netherlands. The third British case lives on Tristan da Cunha and is being monitored there.
Is the UK public at risk from hantavirus. No. UKHSA, ECDC and WHO have all assessed the risk to the wider UK and European public as very low. Andes hantavirus is not present in UK or European rodents, and person-to-person transmission requires close prolonged contact. The only UK strain is Seoul hantavirus, which does not spread between people.
Why is the isolation period 45 days. Andes virus has an unusually long incubation period of up to 42 days, with a median of 18 days. A 45-day isolation window covers the upper bound and allows late-onset cases to be detected before community exposure.
Can hantavirus be passed on a plane. Andes hantavirus does not spread through casual contact, including normal flight conditions. Contact tracing on the South Africa flight from Saint Helena was triggered because a passenger deteriorated severely during the flight, which is standard HCID protocol. Routine flying carries essentially no transmission risk.
Can I work or go out during isolation. No. Confirmed contacts of the MV Hondius outbreak are required to complete a 45-day isolation period under public health supervision, with daily UKHSA contact. The arrangements are tailored to each individual's circumstances.
Do I need to cancel my South America holiday. No. Andes hantavirus is rare and largely confined to specific rural areas in Argentina and Chile. Tourists in urban areas and standard touristic itineraries are at very low risk. Avoid sleeping in rodent-infested cabins, do not enter long-disused buildings without ventilation, and clean any rodent contamination using a wet method with appropriate protective equipment.
What does a same-day private GP cost in London for travel-related symptoms. At The Online GP by The Wellness, phone consultations start from £59, video from £150 and in-person at the Marylebone clinic from £220. Prescriptions, referral letters and follow-up advice are included. Post-travel blood test packages and ultrasound from £195 can be added in the same visit.
Medical disclaimer
This article is for educational purposes only and does not replace personalised medical advice. If you have severe breathlessness, chest pain, confusion, fainting or any other emergency symptoms, call 999 or attend your nearest A&E. If you are an MV Hondius contact, your assigned UKHSA contact is your primary point of escalation. For non-emergency assessment of post-travel symptoms, contact your GP or The Online GP by The Wellness on WhatsApp.
References
UK Health Security Agency. What you need to know about the hantavirus outbreak linked to the Dutch cruise ship. Updated 12 to 13 May 2026.
UK Health Security Agency. UKHSA update on the hantavirus cruise ship outbreak (GOV.UK). 13 May 2026.
UK Health Security Agency. What is hantavirus? How is it transmitted and what are the symptoms? 5 May 2026.
World Health Organization. Hantavirus cluster linked to cruise ship travel, multi-country. Disease Outbreak News. 4 May 2026.
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Questions and answers on the hantavirus outbreak in a cruise ship. May 2026.
National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC). Hantavirus cruise ship outbreak. 12 May 2026.
Vial PA, et al. Incubation period of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 2006.
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Rapid reaction. Should I be worried about hantavirus? 9 May 2026.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About hantavirus and Clinical overview of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. May 2026.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Travel advice for St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. May 2026.
