23 Passengers From Hantavirus-Infected Ship Returned Home To ‘All Corners’ Of The World, Including The U.S.

Health officials have confirmed that passengers from the Dutch-flagged hantavirus-infected cruise ship have returned to multiple countries, including the United States, after disembarking before the full extent of the outbreak was known.

The MV Hondius, a Dutch-operated expedition vessel, experienced an outbreak that has resulted in three deaths and at least eight illnesses among passengers and crew as of Wednesday, May 6. At least 23 passengers left the ship during a stop at Saint Helena, a British territory in the South Atlantic, on April 23 and traveled home without immediate notification of potential exposure.

The returned passengers originated from several nations and dispersed to various locations. One traveler from Australia returned to Australia, another from Taiwan to Taiwan, several from the Netherlands to homes in that country, one from England to England, and individuals from the United States to locations across North America, according to a report from the New York Post.

A Swiss man who disembarked with his wife returned to Switzerland and later tested positive for hantavirus. He was initially taken to a Zurich hospital, where he tested negative, but authorities confirmed a positive result on Wednesday morning.

The virus can remain dormant for up to eight weeks, and officials continue to monitor potential exposures. The American passengers who returned home are among the group of 23 potentially exposed individuals, though specific health statuses for each U.S. returnee have not been publicly detailed beyond their inclusion in contact-tracing efforts.

Health officials and the vessels operator have initiated international contact tracing to address the situation. The World Health Organization stated that passengers who left the vessel were informed of the hantavirus cases by the ship’s operators and instructed to report any signs or symptoms.

In addition, national authorities in the affected countries are collaborating with the operator to track movements and document potential exposures from the hantavirus-infected ship. An Oceanwide Expeditions spokesperson indicated that company officials were “currently working on details of passengers and crew who embarked and disembarked on the various legs of the voyage.”

As of the latest reports, the 23 disembarked passengers represent the primary group that has returned home and may have been exposed prior to notification. Additional passengers and crew remain aboard the vessel, which is anchored off Cape Verde awaiting permission to dock in Tenerife in the Canary Islands.

Three patients, including a 56-year-old British national, a 41-year-old Dutch citizen, and a 65-year-old German, were evacuated on Wednesday for medical care in the Netherlands. The ship’s doctor, who was among those evacuated, had been in serious condition but showed improvement.

Officials have noted that passengers and crew still on board are not currently exhibiting symptoms. As of this report, the total number of people potentially exposed includes the 23 who returned home, as well as those who remained aboard during the initial phase of the outbreak.

The Dutch woman, whose husband died on the ship, disembarked in Saint Helena with “GI symptoms” on April 24. Her condition “deteriorated during a flight to Johannesburg” on April 25. She died on April 26.

Travel via Africa’s busiest airport means *MANY* were potentially exposed. pic.twitter.com/3WRJJgMnvU

— Nick Mark MD (@nickmmark) May 6, 2026

The outbreak began after the ship departed from Ushuaia, Argentina, on March 20. The first confirmed case involved a 70-year-old Dutch passenger who became ill on April 6 and later succumbed to the illness on April 11.

His wife, who disembarked the hantavirus-infected ship with his body at Saint Helena, later died in a Johannesburg after displaying symptoms on the flight over.

Argentine investigators have linked the initial cases to possible rodent exposure during a pre-cruise activity. The World Health Organization has identified the strain as one capable of human-to-human transmission, with a reported mortality rate of up to 40 percent, though transmission risk remains low according to health assessments.

Health officials have indicated that additional laboratory testing and analysis is ongoing to determine the exact strain causing the outbreak.

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