The National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center, or "NETEC", has compiled clinical guidance, preparedness resources, and educational materials related to hantavirus to support healthcare decisions, as reflected on their website.
Access the resource library
here.
As of this post, Saturday, May 15, 2026, the World Health Organization -- of which the U.S. is no longer a part -- states in relation to the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius outbreak:
"According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 10 hantavirus cases (eight confirmed and two probable) — including three deaths — have been reported among passengers aboard the cruise ship. WHO currently assesses the global public health risk as low. However, more cases could be reported as ship passengers return home, due to the long quarantine of this disease, notes the WHO director-general, Dr. Tedros Adhanon Ghebreyesus. (WHO Media
Briefing, 5/15/26).
It has been widely reported that while the risk is considered low for the general public, the type of hantavirus this is -- Andes -- is dangerous because it can be spead human-to-human. The literature and pundits cite the need for close proximity of vectors, so presumably that occurred on the Dutch ship. In fact, one would think any ship or aircraft could be vulnerable as air is circulated throughout the cabin/vessel.
Here, WTNH reports that: "The virus has not been seen in Connecticut since 2014, according to state public health officials who told News 8 that only about 30 cases of the virus are seen yearly across the country." Unlike the report by the NETEC, WTNH cited 11 cases or suspected cases of hantavirus connected to the cruise ship.
According to a Google search/AI, "As of May 15, 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) is tracking a specific cluster of 10–11 cases of the rare Andes hantavirus linked to a cruise ship, which has resulted in three deaths. While this specific outbreak is being monitored for person-to-person spread, hantaviruses are generally endemic, with tens of thousands of cases occurring annually worldwide, primarily in Asia." Later today, WHO determined that the 11th, suspected case was false, bringing the number back to 10.
Years ago, an Ebola sufferer was at Yale Hospital and I happened to be in an adjoining wing to the afflicted, and wrote this
essay, which has become my most popular on LinkedIn. Luckily no one here in New Haven or the state caught it, as he was well cared for and quarantined, and it had to be passed through fluids. (Currently, there is an Ebola outbreak in Itari, DRC but it is important to note hantavirus transmission is airborne.)
The deeper concern many Americans have is the rightful worry that we cannot trust the CDC or other health entites because RFK, Jr. is in charge. Indeed, as of this afternoon the CDC has a
map for the 2023 cases, which clearly is historical data at this point and should be updated. For what it's worth, CDC writes that, "As of the end of 2023, 890 cases of hantavirus disease were reported in the United States since surveillance began in 1993. These were all laboratory-confirmed cases and included HPS and non-pulmonary hantavirus infection."
With the Centers roiling without a leader, it is unclear when we Americans can trust them. I recommend speaking with your doctor and trusting the aforementioned sites as well as smart science writers and journalists, The New York Times, and The Guardian.
Many scientists see a connection between accerating zoonotic-born viruses and
climate change.
https://www.scientificanimations.com/
Image:Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0
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