CDC Officially Concludes Andes Hantavirus Response After Successful Cruise Ship Containment
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) formally concluded their emergency public health response to the rare Andes hantavirus (ANDV) exposure event on June 24, 2026. This decision follows the successful completion of a 42-day quarantine and monitoring period for all exposed individuals, with no positive cases detected in the United States.
The outbreak, which originated aboard the Dutch expedition cruise ship M/V Hondius in the Atlantic Ocean, sickened 13 people and caused 3 deaths, representing a case-fatality rate of 23%.
The Cruise Ship Outbreak and Multinational Response
The outbreak is believed to have begun in April 2026 when a passenger was exposed to rodents harboring Andes virus in South America before boarding the M/V Hondius in Ushuaia, Argentina. The ship set sail on a multi-week voyage to Cape Verde, stopping at several remote islands.
Unlike most hantaviruses, which only spread from animals to humans, Andes virus is unique in its ability to spread from person to person. Because no rodents were found on the vessel, health authorities concluded that the subsequent 12 confirmed cases and 1 probable case onboard were the result of person-to-person transmission.
"Unlike other hantaviruses, ANDV can spread between people. No rodents were detected on the vessel. Routine screening identified two cases before symptoms developed. Three people died, which translates to a case-fatality rate of 23%."
A coordinated, multinational public health response managed the crisis. Medical teams boarded the vessel in Cape Verde to evacuate symptomatic patients, while health agencies tracked 188 high-risk contacts across seven countries, including the U.S., Canada, France, Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, and Turkey.
U.S. Quarantine and Response Close
To protect the domestic population, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. issued a Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act declaration to accelerate the evaluation and distribution of investigational hantavirus medical countermeasures.
American passengers exposed during the voyage were placed under a strict 42-day quarantine at a federal facility in Nebraska, which officially ended on June 21, 2026. Following the end of the monitoring period, CDC Acting Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya confirmed that no sustained transmission occurred in the United States.
"Protecting Americans is our highest responsibility. The successful conclusion of this response demonstrates the strength of a coordinated response to infectious disease threats that occur outside of our borders... As a result, we prevented any new cases from arising in the U.S."
The successful containment of the Andes hantavirus outbreak is heralded as a major milestone for international contact tracing and maritime quarantine protocols.