May 6, 2026
South Africa Identifies Hantavirus Strain That Can Spread Between Humans in 2 Cruise Ship Passengers
Three people have died, and three others have been evacuated from the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius.
TL;DR
- The Andes strain of hantavirus was found in two passengers on the MV Hondius.
- This strain is rare and can spread between humans through very close contact.
- Hantavirus typically spreads via rodents but has a 30-50% mortality rate.
- A British national tested positive and is in critical condition.
- The patient was evacuated from the ship to Johannesburg.