"The World Health Organization says laboratory testing has confirmed that this person has a variant of hantavirus, a family of viruses that are carried by rodents but can also infect people."
"Vaithi Arumugaswami, an infectious-disease researcher, says that hantaviruses do not pose a pandemic risk, but the incident is a warning that the viruses should be monitored."
"Arumugaswami thinks that the passenger on the ship was probably infected with a strain of the New World subgroup called the Andes virus, which was first identified in Chile and Argentina in 1995."
"Between July 2025 and January 2026, at least 20 deaths from the virus were reported in Argentina, indicating an ongoing outbreak of the Andes virus."
A suspected hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius has led to three deaths and one confirmed case of a variant of hantavirus in a passenger. Two crew members exhibit respiratory symptoms but lack confirmation of infection. The MV Hondius is currently off Cabo Verde. Researchers emphasize the need for monitoring hantaviruses, particularly the Andes virus, which can spread between people. Argentina has reported ongoing outbreaks of the Andes virus, with increased fatalities noted in recent months.
Read at Nature
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