The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned countries to stay alert for more hantavirus cases following an outbreak linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius. The vessel was travelling from Argentina to Cape Verde when several suspected infections were reported.   Health officials are closely monitoring the situation because the Andes strain of hantavirus, unlike most forms of the virus, can spread through close human contact. Hantavirus is usually transmitted through infected wild rodents and can cause severe respiratory illness.   The WHO has asked countries to strengthen surveillance and preparedness measures as concerns grow over the possible spread of infections in the coming weeks.

US health officials are monitoring 18 Americans evacuated from the cruise ship MV Hondius after possible exposure to the Andes strain of hantavirus. Sixteen passengers were taken to a federal quarantine unit in Omaha, while two others, including one showing mild symptoms, were sent to Atlanta. Officials said the public risk remains “very, very low” as the virus does not spread easily between people. One American passenger tested positive, though asymptomatic. The outbreak aboard the Dutch cruise ship has already claimed three lives, while health agencies continue monitoring passengers for symptoms during quarantine. (PC: BBC)

More than 100 passengers and crew members fell ill after a norovirus outbreak struck the Caribbean cruise ship Caribbean Princess during a voyage from Florida. According to reports, those infected suffered symptoms including vomiting, diarrhoea, nausea and stomach cramps. Health experts said cruise ships remain highly vulnerable to norovirus because of crowded spaces and shared facilities. The virus spreads rapidly through contaminated food, water, surfaces and close contact. Authorities said most patients recovered within a few days, but the outbreak has renewed concerns over sanitation and disease control on cruise liners. Officials stressed strict hygiene and isolation measures to contain further spread. (PC: India Today)

A US national evacuated from the cruise ship MV Hondius has tested positive for hantavirus, while another passenger showed mild symptoms during a repatriation flight from Spain, US health officials said. The passengers are travelling in biocontainment units as a precaution and will undergo medical screening upon arrival in Nebraska. The outbreak aboard the ship has already claimed three lives, including a Dutch couple and a German woman. Health authorities say the risk of widespread transmission remains low, although concerns persist over the Andes strain of hantavirus, which can spread between humans in rare cases. Several countries are now monitoring evacuated passengers. (PC: BBC)

The Dutch expedition cruise ship MV Hondius, linked to a deadly hantavirus outbreak, has arrived near Spain’s Canary Islands under strict international health protocols. India’s embassy in Madrid confirmed that the two Indian nationals onboard are healthy and asymptomatic. The outbreak has killed three passengers and infected several others with the rare Andes strain of hantavirus, which can spread through rodents and, in rare cases, between humans. The World Health Organization and Spanish authorities are closely monitoring passengers and crew while coordinating evacuation and quarantine measures. Health experts stressed that the overall global public health risk remains low despite international concern over the outbreak. (PC: NDTV)

Scientists are warning that climate change and global heating may increase human exposure to hantavirus by altering rodent habitats and boosting their populations. The concern follows a deadly outbreak linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius, where several passengers were infected with the Andes strain, a rare form capable of limited human-to-human transmission. Experts say droughts followed by heavy rainfall create ideal conditions for rodents to multiply, increasing infection risks. Argentina, currently under scrutiny, reported 101 hantavirus cases and 32 deaths since July 2025. The World Health Organization stressed that the virus is not easily spread and the overall global public health risk remains low. (PC: Reuters)

Passengers aboard the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius began evacuating in Tenerife after a deadly hantavirus outbreak killed three people and infected several others. The ship, carrying passengers from over 20 countries, was quarantined following confirmed cases linked to the Andes strain of hantavirus, which can rarely spread between humans. Spanish authorities launched a tightly controlled evacuation with health screenings, quarantine measures, and special repatriation flights. The WHO and European health agencies said the overall public risk remains low, though all passengers are being treated as high-risk contacts. Investigators are still tracing the outbreak’s origin, believed to be linked to infected rodents in Argentina. (PC: AP)

British Army medics parachuted onto the remote South Atlantic island of Tristan da Cunha to assist a British national with suspected hantavirus linked to the outbreak aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship. The man, who lives on the island, developed symptoms weeks after leaving the vessel and is currently stable in isolation. The UK military also air-dropped oxygen supplies after stocks on the island reached critical levels. Six hantavirus cases have been confirmed so far, including two Britons receiving treatment in South Africa and the Netherlands. Authorities said the risk to the wider public remains very low. (PC: BBC)

Spanish medical teams are preparing to receive the MV Hondius in Tenerife, Spain, after three passengers died from the rare Andes strain of hantavirus. The cruise ship arrived after weeks at sea and will remain isolated in the port of Granadilla. Doctors in Spain will examine all passengers and crew before they disembark. More than 100 people from 23 countries will be flown home on charter planes. The World Health Organization said the risk to the public in Spain is low. Spanish hospitals are on standby. Around 30 crew members will stay on board and sail the ship to the Netherlands. (PC: BBC)

Scientists in Thailand have discovered a new coronavirus in bats that may be able to infect humans. The virus belongs to the sarbecovirus family, which includes the viruses that caused SARS and Covid-19. Researchers found that the virus can attach to human ACE2 receptors, which help viruses enter cells. However, there is no evidence that the virus has infected humans or is spreading among people. Scientists said there is no immediate danger. They stressed the need to monitor bat viruses closely. The study highlights the importance of wildlife surveillance and global preparedness to prevent possible future outbreaks and protect public health worldwide.