Californian returns home from hantavirus-stricken cruise

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - One of two California residents who were aboard a cruise ship experiencing an outbreak of Andes hantavirus has returned home and is in contact with local public health officials, according to the California Department of Public Health.

Public health protocol is to do daily symptom monitoring and reporting, the CDPH said in a news release, noting that "the risk to the general public in California is extremely low."

Dr. Erica Pan, state public health official and CDPH director, acknowledged that news of an unusual outbreak can be concerning.

"At this time, local, state, national and global public health partners are working together to assess and care for people who may have been exposed and prevent spread of the virus," Pan said. "Unlike influenza and COVID-19, years of experience in South America have shown that this Andes hantavirus rarely spreads between people."

The other California resident remains aboard the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius, the CDPH said.

The outbreak of Andes hantavirus was first reported on May 2. Three passengers have died, one is in intensive care at a South African hospital, and three others were evacuated from the ship Wednesday, according to The Associated Press. Another man who left the vessel earlier in the voyage tested positive in Switzerland.

As of Friday, there were no ill passengers on the ship, and the federal government was working to secure the safe return of all United States passengers, the CDPH said.

The ship is en route to the Canary Islands with more than 140 passengers and crew still aboard.

Hantavirus is a group of viruses that spread through the urine, droppings and saliva of wild rodents, according to the CDPH. Found in the southern Andes region of Argentina and Chile, the Andes strain has been associated with rare human-to-human transmission after close, prolonged contact with an ill infected person.

Sin Nombre, a strain native to California and North America, has not been linked with human-to-human transmission, the CDPH said.

Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, or HPS, is a rare but severe illness that can develop following exposure, according to the CDPH. Early symptoms resemble influenza and can progress rapidly to life-threatening respiratory distress. The fatality rate is 30 to 40%.

The CDPH said there is no antiviral treatment for hantavirus, and HPS typically requires aggressive critical medical supportive care.

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This story was originally published May 9, 2026 at 12:59 PM.