General Discussion

orangecrush

(31,204 posts) Thu May 7, 2026, 05:26 PM May 7

Hantavirus being monitored in US. Latest on cruise ship outbreak

Officials in the United States are monitoring Americans who traveled on the cruise ship at the center of the hantavirus outbreak that has caused three deaths.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a May 6 news release that the State Department is "leading a coordinated, whole-of-government response" and is in contact with passengers and health authorities around the world.

Eight people who traveled on the MV Hondius, a cruise ship traveling in the Atlantic Ocean run by Netherlands-based operator Oceanwide Expeditions, have been linked to the outbreak so far. Three people have died.

The World Health Organization said the particular strain has been confirmed as the Andes virus, which is believed to spread person-to-person.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2026/05/07/hantavirus-outbreak-cases-cruise-ship-us-updates/89970817007/

16 replies

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Hantavirus being monitored in US. Latest on cruise ship outbreak (Original Post) orangecrush May 7 OP

By Robert shithead Kennedy, jr....................... Lovie777 May 7 #1

My thought exactly orangecrush May 7 #2

If it gets going it would be the second pandemic under Trump bucolic_frolic May 7 #3

I doubt that TexLaProgressive May 7 #4

Andes strain is transmissible between humans. /nt bucolic_frolic May 7 #5

Not this strain, it is human to human, and fatality rates are 40-50% obamanut2012 May 7 #6

Confirmed that it's the Andean strain of hantavirus TexLaProgressive May 7 #10

And the fatality rate of this is much higher than OG Covid obamanut2012 May 7 #7

We do not have a CDC that can handle this virus. yellow dahlia May 7 #8

It always starts with bamagal62 May 7 #9

Deja Vu orangecrush May 7 #11

Yep! bamagal62 May 7 #12

and toilet paper! scipan May 8 #13

It it were to spread here, we are up the creek without a paddle. LisaL May 8 #15

I believe there were canetoad May 8 #14

At least one of the infected people from the cruise flew on a commercial plane. LisaL May 8 #16

Lovie777

(23,797 posts)

1. By Robert shithead Kennedy, jr.......................

Reply to orangecrush (Original post)

Thu May 7, 2026, 05:28 PM

May 7

no thanks.

orangecrush

(31,204 posts)

2. My thought exactly

Reply to Lovie777 (Reply #1)

Thu May 7, 2026, 05:28 PM

May 7

bucolic_frolic

(55,919 posts)

3. If it gets going it would be the second pandemic under Trump

Reply to orangecrush (Original post)

Thu May 7, 2026, 05:36 PM

May 7

No gas, no food, new pandemic ..... too horrible to contemplate.

TexLaProgressive

(12,787 posts)

4. I doubt that

Reply to bucolic_frolic (Reply #3)

Thu May 7, 2026, 05:47 PM

May 7

hantavirus is endemic in the desert southwest. Iirc the usual transmission route is inhaling dried rodent urine and dropping dust. Human to human transmission is very rare.

bucolic_frolic

(55,919 posts)

5. Andes strain is transmissible between humans. /nt

Reply to TexLaProgressive (Reply #4)

Thu May 7, 2026, 05:55 PM

May 7

obamanut2012

(29,518 posts)

6. Not this strain, it is human to human, and fatality rates are 40-50%

Reply to TexLaProgressive (Reply #4)

Thu May 7, 2026, 06:15 PM

May 7

No cure, no vax.

TexLaProgressive

(12,787 posts)

10. Confirmed that it's the Andean strain of hantavirus

Reply to obamanut2012 (Reply #6)

Thu May 7, 2026, 08:11 PM

May 7

It is endemic in parts of Argentina and Chile. The ship had been in Argentina. That may be where the 1st passenger contracted it. From what I've read human to human transmission requires close contact.

obamanut2012

(29,518 posts)

7. And the fatality rate of this is much higher than OG Covid

Reply to bucolic_frolic (Reply #3)

Thu May 7, 2026, 06:16 PM

May 7

Andes strain is a coin flip if you survive.

yellow dahlia

(6,536 posts)

8. We do not have a CDC that can handle this virus.

Reply to orangecrush (Original post)

Thu May 7, 2026, 07:17 PM

May 7

Another pandemic was on my Bingo card...unfortunately.

bamagal62

(4,559 posts)

9. It always starts with

Reply to orangecrush (Original post)

Thu May 7, 2026, 07:33 PM

May 7

“A risk to the public is low at this time”. Until
It’s not. Heard this when SARS hit while living in Hong Kong and heard it with Covid. Time to buy some masks, just in case. The promising thing is I don’t believe it’s contagious until there are symptoms.
The bad thing is, the incubation period is long and then it begins with flu like symptoms before going respiratory. So, you might just assume you have the flu and not isolate.