Hanta Virus: After the Covid pandemic, the fear of Hanta virus is spreading in the world. A cruise ship infected with the dangerous Hanta virus was roaming in the Atlantic Ocean for the past one month, in which 3 people have died. Two Indians were also among the approximately 150 passengers aboard the ship. However, both types are healthy and symptom-free.
The Indian Embassy in Spain has confirmed this by issuing an official press release on 10 May 2026. Both the Indian nationals were deployed as crew members of the ship and are currently being sent to the Netherlands, where they will be kept in quarantine as per health safety protocols.
The ship MV Hondius departed from the port of Ushuaia, Argentina on 1 April 2026. There were a total of 147 people on board, including 86 passengers and 61 crew members from 23 countries. The ship was moving ahead, visiting remote areas like Antarctica, South Georgia Island, Tristan da Cunha and St. Helena.
In mid-April, passengers aboard began falling ill with symptoms such as high fever, difficulty breathing and pneumonia. This cluster of severe respiratory disease was reported to WHO on May 2. On 6 May, WHO confirmed that it was a special variant of Andes virus, Hantavirus. So far, three people have died and a total of eight cases have been confirmed. CDC+3
Hantavirus is usually spread through contact with the feces, urine, and saliva of creatures such as rats. Andes virus is the only virus among its more than 50 species that can spread from human to human in a limited way. The WHO described the global threat level as “low”, although the CDC declared it a Level-3 emergency response.
Its main symptoms include flu-like fever, muscle pain and fatigue, and in severe cases, severe difficulty in breathing. Failure to get timely treatment can also result in death.
According to the embassy, both the Indian crew members have no symptoms of the virus. Based on information from Spain’s national emergency monitoring center CENEM, they are being taken to the Netherlands. On May 10, 94 passengers from 19 countries were disembarked from the ship and the process of their repatriation began. The Indian Ambassador is in constant touch with the Spanish authorities and both citizens.