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Hantavirus live updates: Risk to general public 'very, very low'

A flight carrying U.S. citizens who were on the ship arrived Monday in Nebraska.

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Last updated: Monday, May 11, 2026 5:39PM GMT
Hantavirus risk to general public 'very, very low': HHS

Passengers onboard the MV Hondius cruise ship started disembarking Sunday in Tenerife, in the Canary Islands, to be transferred to charter flights back to their home countries.

The total number of confirmed and probable cases of hantavirus onboard the ship has risen to 10, including two people confirmed to have died from the virus and one person who remains suspected to have died from the virus.

On Monday, 16 American cruise ship passengers arrived at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, 15 are in the quarantine unit and one person is in the biocontainment unit, officials said. Two other American cruise ship passengers were flown to Atlanta "for further assessment and care," officials said.

Key Headlines

Here's how the news is developing.
May 11, 2026, 11:44 AM

What is hantavirus and is there a vaccine?

Here's what you need to know about hantavirus including what it is, how it spreads, how it's treated and if there are any prevention methods:

What is hantavirus?

Hantaviruses are a family of viruses that can cause serious illnesses and death, according to the CDC.

How does hantavirus spread?

Hantaviruses may also spread from person to person, but that also is rare and only suspected for one subtype, the Andes virus, from South America, according to the WHO.

Is there a vaccine?

There are currently no approved vaccines anywhere in the world that specifically protect against the Andes virus, but scientists are working on it.

Read more about hantavirus here.

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1:16 PM GMT

Ship captain thanks guests, crew for their kindness, patience during 'challenging' weeks

Jan Dobrogowski, the captain of the Hondius, recorded a message thanking passengers and crew for their patience during the "extremely challenging" last few weeks.

The hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius is seen at anchor after arriving at the port of Granadilla in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, Sunday, May 10, 2026.
The hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius is seen at anchor after arriving at the port of Granadilla in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, Sunday, May 10, 2026.

"What touched me the most, what moved me the most, was your patience, your discipline, and also kindness -- kindness that you show to each other. ... I've witnessed your caring, your unity and quiet strength," Dobrogowski said, according to the Associated Press.

He added, "Our thoughts are with the ones that are no longer with us. ... This can be very painful to the people on board, especially already dealing with grief, worry and perhaps uncertainty."

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3:45 AM GMT

American who tested positive for hantavirus will be transported to biocontainment unit

The American passenger who tested positive for hantavirus will be transported to the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit, according to Nebraska Medicine, which hosts the facility.

The individual does not have any symptoms and was separated from other passengers during the flight through biocontainment measures. They will be receiving a follow-up test, Nebraska Medicine said.

The remaining passengers will go to the National Quarantine Unit for assessment and monitoring.

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3:47 AM GMT

1 American positive for hantavirus, another symptomatic, HHS says

The Department of Health and Human Services released a statement on Sunday saying one American has tested positive for hantavirus as the plane with 18 MV Hondius passengers is headed to the U.S.

Two of the passengers on the plane are traveling in the aircraft's biocontainment units "out of an abundance of caution," according to HHS.

The agency said that of the two, one passenger currently has mild symptoms, and the other has tested PCR positive for the virus.

The plane is first going to the ASPR Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Center (RESPTC) at the University of Nebraska Medical Center before taking the passenger with mild symptoms to a second RESPTC, according to HHS.

"Upon arrival at each facility, each individual will undergo clinical assessment and receive appropriate care and support based on their condition," HHS said.

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May 10, 2026, 10:31 PM GMT

American flight takes off from Spain

The plane carrying the 18 Americans who disembarked from the MV Hondius has departed Spain and is heading back to the United States.

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