Second Hantavirus Case Confirmed in Spain as Global Monitoring of MV Hondius Outbreak Continues

The MV Hondius Outbreak: Scale and Timeline

The outbreak is caused by the Andes hantavirus, a rodent-borne pathogen endemic to the Andes mountain region of Argentina and Chile . Key outbreak metrics as of 24 May 2026 include:

• Total cases: 12 (10 confirmed, 2 suspected)
• Deaths: 3, with 2 confirmed as caused by Andes hantavirus
• Passengers and crew: Approximately 150 people from 23 countries
• Affected countries: Confirmed cases have been reported in Spain, France, Canada, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the United States

The timeline began when the WHO was notified on 2 May 2026 of severe respiratory illness aboard the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius, which had departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on 1 April 2026 . Thirty passengers who disembarked early at Saint Helena on 24 April were among the first to show symptoms . The ship anchored off Cape Verde in early May, after which Spain approved docking in Tenerife. Air evacuations to the Netherlands, Switzerland, and other countries followed rapidly .

How Global Health Agencies Are Monitoring the Outbreak

Multiple international health bodies are actively tracking the outbreak and managing repatriated passengers with extended quarantine periods to account for the virus’s long incubation window.

WHO has issued three Disease Outbreak News reports on the cluster, with the most recent published on 13 May 2026 . The ECDC, as of its 24 May update, continues surveillance across EU/EEA member states .

United States officials have taken direct action: the CDC confirmed on 18 May that 18 repatriated U.S. passengers were requested to stay at the Nebraska Quarantine Facility through 31 May 2026, marking 21 days since their disembarkation. Quarantine orders have been issued for two of those passengers .

Spain has implemented the most extended monitoring window. The 14 quarantined nationals will remain at Gómez Ulla Hospital in Madrid until at least early June. Those who continue to test negative may be allowed to transition to home isolation starting 7 June 2026, with surveillance lasting until 21 June 2026—a total period of up to 43 days to cover the maximum possible incubation period .

Most countries are monitoring exposed individuals for a minimum of 42 days (six weeks) from disembarkation. This extended window reflects the unusually long incubation period associated with Andes hantavirus, which can exceed the incubation ranges seen in other hantavirus strains .

Health authorities across affected nations continue to stress that the risk to the general public remains low, as all known cases are linked directly to the MV Hondius outbreak and are being managed under strict isolation and quarantine protocols.