One French national and one U.S. national tested positive for hantavirus after being evacuated from the cruise ship MV Hondius [1, 2].

Health officials are monitoring the situation to prevent a wider outbreak. Because hantaviruses can cause severe respiratory distress, the rapid identification and isolation of infected travelers are critical to stopping the spread of the virus across international borders.

The passengers were evacuated May 10, 2026, while the MV Hondius was anchored near Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands [3, 4]. Following the evacuation, the individuals were transported to their respective home countries, where they have been placed under quarantine [1, 2, 4].

Reports on the number of affected passengers vary. One report states that three passengers — a French woman and two Americans — tested positive or showed symptoms [3]. However, other sources confirm that one French national and one U.S. national tested positive [2]. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said one American evacuee tested positive while another is showing mild symptoms [5].

In the United States, medical facilities are monitoring 18 people, including the one confirmed positive case [6].

U.S. health officials are attempting to manage public perception of the outbreak to avoid unnecessary alarm. The CDC Acting Director said, "This is not COVID and we don't want to treat it like COVID. We don't want to cause a public panic over this" [5].

The outbreak on the MV Hondius prompted health authorities to implement testing and quarantine protocols for passengers to mitigate further transmission [7, 8].

“One French national and one U.S. national tested positive for hantavirus after being evacuated from the cruise ship MV Hondius.”

The quarantine of passengers from the MV Hondius highlights the challenges of managing zoonotic virus outbreaks in high-density environments like cruise ships. While hantavirus does not typically spread from person to person like COVID-19, the CDC's emphasis on avoiding panic suggests a strategic effort to prevent public health hysteria while maintaining strict surveillance of the 18 monitored individuals in the U.S.