By Rayan Jawahar and Griffin Crowley
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As of May 11, 2026, a cruise ship carrying a potentially fatal virus called Hantavirus docked in Port of Granadilla, in an island off the east coast of Africa, called Tenerife, which is owned by Spain. After that, a medical flight landed in America carrying 18 passengers. Due to the Hantavirrus outbreak on the ship, there are 7 people who are confirmed to have Hantavirus, 2 people waiting for confirmation, and 3 fatalities. In Tenerife, passengers were taken to a military aircraft after being sprayed down with disinfectant.
Hantavirus, which belongs to the genus Orthohantavirus, in the family Hantaviridae, and the order Bunyavirales. This virus is mainly transmitted from rodents, and the specific outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship was caused by the long – tailed pygmy rice rat (Oligoryzomys longicaudatus). Short – term symptoms include:
- high fevers (up to 101° F), and chills
- fatigue and malaise
- discomfort in muscle areas such as hips, thighs, back.
Long term symptoms include:
- shortness of breath and repeated coughing
- tight chest area
- shock and severe respiratory failure
More severe symptoms can include Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS), which results in back pain, blurry vision, headaches, and fever/chills, and can also result in low blood pressure, internal bleeding, and acute kidney failure.
The MV Hondius cruise ship was where the outbreak started. Tickets cost around $15,000 per person, and the cruise had 81 cabins for passengers with 27 m2 grand suites. This ship was very environmentally friendly, with LED lighting, biodegradable plants, and steam – powered heating systems. As for the Hantavirus outbreak, it is suspected that it was caused by a Dutch couple on a bird – watching expedition in Ushuaia, Argentina, who got the virus from an infected long – tailed pygmy rice rat, then went on the ship and spread it to other passengers. The husband of the couple felt symptoms on April 6, 2026, then died on April 11, 2026. The body was then removed in Saint Helena, and the wife of the couple disembarked, then died of the virus in South Africa.
No major lawsuits have been issued in court as of May 11, 2026, but authorities are currently investigating and deciding whether or not it was the MV Hondius’s fault and whether to issue a lawsuit.