The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially declared the deadly hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship over after the final exposed individual completed quarantine.
The announcement marks the end of an incident that raised international concern and triggered a coordinated public health response across dozens of countries.
Although the outbreak has officially ended, health experts say scientific research into the virus is only beginning.
WHO Confirms End of Cruise Ship Outbreak
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed that the final person exposed during the outbreak had successfully completed quarantine. He said the individual tested negative before returning home.
“Today, the final contact of a person exposed to hantavirus on the cruise ship MV Hondius completed their quarantine period, tested negative and returned home.”
He further confirmed that no additional infections had been detected since late May.
“No further cases have been reported since May 25.”
As a result, the global health body officially closed the outbreak.
“We are therefore very pleased to say that WHO considers the outbreak of hantavirus over.”
Outbreak Claimed Three Lives
The outbreak involved 12 confirmed cases and one probable infection linked to the MV Hondius. Sadly, three people died during the incident.
The Dutch-flagged expedition cruise ship departed from Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1. During the voyage, it visited several remote islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, including Tristan da Cunha. The vessel later travelled north toward Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands.
Authorities evacuated the remaining passengers there before the ship completed its journey. Eventually, the vessel docked in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on May 18. Following extensive cleaning and disinfection, officials cleared the ship to resume operations on May 30.
Health Authorities Tracked Hundreds of Contacts
The outbreak prompted one of the largest international contact-tracing efforts involving hantavirus. According to WHO, health authorities identified and monitored more than 650 contacts. These individuals were located across 33 countries and territories.
The extensive surveillance helped prevent additional infections after the initial outbreak. Consequently, no further transmission was reported during the monitoring period.
Scientists Continue Studying the Virus
Although the immediate health emergency has ended, WHO said research into hantavirus remains a priority.
Tedros explained that scientists are working together to improve future outbreak preparedness.
“We are also coordinating a study involving 21 countries to understand how the disease develops, which will support the development of diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines for future outbreaks.”
Researchers hope the findings will improve future detection methods and support the development of effective treatments. Currently, there are no approved vaccines or specific antiviral treatments for hantavirus infections.
Rare Andes Virus Drew Global Attention
Hantavirus normally spreads through contact with infected rodents. However, the Andes strain linked to this outbreak is unique. It remains the only known hantavirus capable of spreading from one person to another.
Initially, experts believed a passenger contracted the virus while travelling through areas of Argentina where the disease is endemic. Later investigations, however, produced unexpected findings.
Argentina’s health ministry announced that investigations in a second province failed to identify infected rodents carrying the virus.
As a result, researchers continue examining how the outbreak began.
WHO Says Vigilance Must Continue
WHO officials stressed that ending the outbreak does not eliminate the broader public health risk.
Diana Rojas Alvarez, WHO’s chief for high-impact epidemics, explained the current situation.
“However, Andes virus and other hantaviruses are still a public health threat for South America and some other endemic areas.”
She emphasized that continued surveillance remains essential. Experts also believe local communities should play a greater role in preparedness and prevention strategies. “The work on hantaviruses needs to continue over time,” she said.
Meanwhile, WHO hopes the experience will encourage member states to complete the remaining elements of the Pandemic Agreement later this month, allowing it to become fully operational.
Although the cruise ship outbreak has officially concluded, global health authorities remain focused on strengthening preparedness for future outbreaks involving rare infectious diseases.
