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The World Health Organization said that a man in Switzerland has tested positive for hantavirus after responding to a health alert from the MV Hondius cruise ship
Three people who are suspected of having hantavirus have also been evacuated from the cruise ship and are on their way to receive medical care in Switzerland
Spain’s national government in Madrid said that the Canary Islands would be able to accept the ship; however, the regional government in the archipelago opposed the idea
A new case of hantavirus, a rare, flu-like virus linked to rodent droppings, has popped up in Switzerland, linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship.
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced in an update on Wednesday, May 6, that Swiss authorities confirmed a case of hantavirus in a passenger from the cruise ship.
The case was found after a man, who was not identified, responded to an email from the ship’s operator informing the passengers of the outbreak, according to the WHO. He went to the hospital in Zurich, Switzerland, where doctors identified the virus, and he is receiving care, the international agency said.
The WHO said it is working with relevant international authorities to identify people who may have been exposed to the virus and to prevent further spread of the disease.
This photograph taken in Zurich on May 6, 2026 shows the entrance of the University Hospital Zurich.
Credit: ENNIO LEANZA / AFP via Getty
The international health agency also noted that the strain of hantavirus linked to the cruise ship is the Andes hantavirus, which originates in South America, and can be transmitted person-to-person, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
As of May 6, there are 8 suspected cases linked to the vessel, 3 of which were confirmed as hantavirus by laboratory testing, according to the WHO.
Health personnel assist patients onto a boat from the cruise ship MV Hondius.
Credit: AFP via Getty
In a separate post on X, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed that three people who are suspected of having hantavirus have been evacuated from the cruise ship and are on their way to receive medical care in Switzerland.
“WHO continues to work with the ship’s operators to closely monitor the health of passengers and crew, working with countries to support appropriate medical follow-up and evacuation where needed..,” he said.
He added, “At this stage, the overall public health risk remains low.”
Spain’s national government in Madrid said that the Canary Islands would be able to accept the ship, which remains out in the Atlantic Ocean. However, the regional government in the Canary Islands opposed the idea, according to NBC News, The Guardian and Reuters.
A photo of the cruise ship MV Hondius.
Credit: AFP via Getty
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“This decision is not based on any technical criteria, nor is there sufficient information to reassure the public or guarantee their safety,” Canary Islands regional leader Fernando Clavijo told radio station COPE, per NBC News.
He noted, per the outlets, that he planned to request a meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on the matter.
At least three cruise ship passengers have died so far. While none have been identified, NBC News reported that they are believed to be a Dutch couple and a German national. One person is still being treated in an intensive care unit in South Africa.
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