ECDC says it is supporting EU member states on the Andes hantavirus cruise-ship outbreak

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said it is supporting EU member states as the Andes hantavirus outbreak linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius continues to develop.

ECDC’s outbreak page was updated on May 19, 2026 and said 12 cases have now been reported in connection with the cluster: nine confirmed, two probable and one inconclusive. The agency said the ship arrived in Rotterdam on May 18 with 27 crew members on board after passengers had already been disembarked and repatriated.

The update adds to earlier ECDC, WHO and national public health statements showing a coordinated response across countries involved in the ship’s route and passenger tracing.

Coordinated response

ECDC said it is working with EU member states, the European Commission, WHO and other partners. WHO previously said one WHO expert and one ECDC expert were on board the ship to provide public health advice while contact tracing continued.

Canada’s public health agency said on May 17 that it had confirmed a laboratory-positive Andes hantavirus case in a returned passenger. The U.S. CDC also said on May 14 that it was responding to the outbreak and that no U.S. cases had been confirmed at that time.

The outbreak has remained tied to cruise-ship travel, with public health authorities treating it as an international contact-tracing and response operation rather than a general community outbreak. ECDC’s latest update indicates the situation is still being monitored closely as the ship undergoes disinfection in Rotterdam.