California health officials are monitoring four residents who were exposed to the deadly Andes hantavirus in connection with the recent outbreak on a cruise ship.
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) on May 11, 2026, confirmed that four Californians were exposed to the virus.
While three residents were aboard the MV Hondius, the Dutch cruise ship that experienced the outbreak of Andes hantavirus, another California resident was traveling on an international flight and was seated near an ill cruise passenger, the CDPH said.
The ill returning passenger was later confirmed to have Andes hantavirus.
Among the four residents, two have returned home and are being monitored by their local public health officials. The other two residents have been transported to the U.S. by federal authorities, according to the CDPH.
These two residents were evacuated on a U.S. medical repatriation flight to the Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They will then be transported to the National Quarantine Center at the University of Nebraska in Omaha. They are expected to return to California once they have been medically evaluated, and arrangements have been made to protect their health and the public’s health.
The CDC said that the risk to the general public remains “extremely low.”
Acknowledging public concern about the “unusual outbreak,” State Public Health Officer and CDPH Director Erica Pan said that experience in South America shows that the Andes hantavirus “rarely spreads between people.”
Before the recent hantavirus outbreak, the CDPH Viral and Rickettsial Disease Laboratory was the nation’s only public health laboratory with a validated diagnostic hantavirus PCR assay to conduct testing for hantavirus, according to the CDPH.
Santa Clara Resident Among the Four Californians
Among the two California residents who returned home, one is a resident of Santa Clara County.
Assuring the public that the individual is currently under close monitoring, with restricted activities in accordance with CDC’s recommendations, the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department said in a statement on May 11 that the individual has not yet reported any symptoms of hantavirus.
The county is monitoring the individual in accordance with the CDC’s recommended 42-day observation period.
If the person shows any symptoms or requires medical care, a “comprehensive care plan” will be implemented to prevent exposure risk to first responders, healthcare providers, other patients, and the public, the county’s health department said.
The individual’s information has not been disclosed, in compliance with medical privacy laws.
Background
The World Health Organization (WHO) was notified of the outbreak of hantavirus on May 2, after several passengers and crew aboard the MV Hondius developed severe respiratory illnesses while traveling across the Atlantic Ocean.
The vessel departed from Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1 and traveled through remote regions, such as Antarctica, South Georgia Island, Tristan da Cunha, Saint Helena, and Ascension Island. The ship was carrying 147 people from 23 countries.
As of May 8, eight cases, including three deaths, were reported. Six cases were confirmed as hantavirus infections, with all identified as Andes virus.
All passengers of the cruise ship disembarked after it docked in Tenerife, Canary Islands, on May 11. These passengers include 18 people who are bound for the U.S., CNN reported.
The passengers’ contact with wildlife before or during the expedition is unknown, according to the CDC.
What is Hantavirus?
Hantavirus is a rare zoonotic virus that typically infects rodents and is occasionally transmitted to humans, according to the WHO.
Humans usually get infected through contact with infected rodents or their urine, feces, or saliva.
Once infected, a person can develop severe illnesses, which can also result in death. In the Americas, the infection has led to patients developing hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome, a rapidly progressive condition that affects the lungs and the heart, with a fatality rate of up to 50%.
The Andes virus, found in South America, is known to cause limited human-to-human transmission among close and prolonged contacts. Symptoms usually begin between one and eight weeks after exposure, and usually include fever, headache, muscle aches, and gastrointestinal issues, such as nausea, abdominal pain, or vomiting.
Currently, there are no licensed antiviral treatments or vaccines for hantavirus infection. Early access to medical care is critical for treating patients.
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