Hantavirus outbreak tied to expedition ship is over, says WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the hantavirus outbreak linked to an expedition ship officially over on Thursday (July 2) after the last identified close contact of an infected person completed quarantine and tested negative for the virus.

The outbreak involved the rare Andes strain of hantavirus, infecting 13 people and claiming three lives.

Unlike most hantaviruses, the Andes strain – which is typically found in Argentina and Chile – is the only known type capable of spreading from person to person.

As previously reported, the cases were linked to the expedition cruise ship MV Hondius, which departed Argentina on April 1.

The outbreak aboard the ship, a polar expedition ship operated by the Netherlands-based Oceanwide Expeditions, had become one of the most serious known maritime outbreaks involving the Andes strain of hantavirus.

The incident forced a multi-country evacuation and containment operation involving health agencies, airlines, border officials, and international public health authorities.

Four Canadians were among the passengers. All completed self-isolation after returning home on May 10 while one traveller from Yukon later tested positive but made a full recovery.

Health officials were concerned because hantavirus has no specific treatment or cure.

Most hantavirus infections are contracted through contact with rodent urine, droppings or contaminated dust and do not spread between people.

While human-to-human transmission is possible with the Andes strain, it remains uncommon and generally requires close, prolonged contact with an infected person.

Prior to the outbreak, the MV Hondius, a 107.6-metre polar expedition ship with 80 cabins, was running a 24-day "Atlantic Odyssey" voyage.

The journey began in Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1, 2026, and featured stops in remote, ecologically diverse South Atlantic and African locations before a medical emergency diverted the ship to Europe.

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