So far, three people have died on a cruise ship amid a suspected hantavirus outbreak. But what is hantavirus and how does it spread?
A rodent-borne disease is suspected of causing an outbreak aboard a cruise ship that has left three people dead and several others ill.
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Studies indicate hantaviruses have been around for centuries, with outbreaks documented in Asia and Europe.
Here’s what you need to know about hantavirus, how it spreads, and why this outbreak is raising concern.
What is hantavirus?
Hantavirus refers to a group of viruses carried by rodents, primarily transmitted to humans through inhalation of airborne particles from dried rodent droppings.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hantaviruses can cause two serious illnesses.
The first is hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which affects the lungs and can lead to severe respiratory failure. The second is haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, which affects the kidneys and can cause serious complications.
How does it spread?
Contact with infected rodents or their urine, saliva, or droppings - especially when these materials are disturbed and become airborne - is the primary way that the hantavirus spreads.
People are typically exposed in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces such as homes, cabins, or sheds where rodent activity is present.
Though rare, the World Health Organization says hantaviruses can also spread directly between people.
Australian virus researcher Paul Griffin told the Australian News Agency that around 150,000 to 200,000 hantavirus infections are identified worldwide each year.
"It is very rare that it spreads from human to human," he said.
What are the symptoms?
Early detection of the virus is difficult, as it frequently starts with everyday flu-like symptoms.
“Early in the illness, you really may not be able to tell the difference between hantavirus and having the flu,” says Dr Sonja Bartolome of UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
Symptoms early on can consist of fever, chills, muscle pain, and headache. But the virus does not take long to become more serious.
For the hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, the symptoms show up one to eight weeks after exposure to the virus and can develop into severe breathing problems when the lungs start filling up with fluid.
Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome primarily affects the kidneys and can lead to low blood pressure, internal bleeding, and acute kidney failure.
How dangerous is it?
Death rates vary depending on the strain.
According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is fatal in about 35% of cases, while hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome has a rate ranging from 1% to 15%.
Is there a cure?
There is currently no specific treatment or cure for hantavirus infections.
Patients typically receive supportive care, which can include oxygen therapy, mechanical ventilation, and, in severe cases, dialysis. Early medical attention significantly improves survival chances.
Despite decades of research, many aspects of the disease remain unclear.
The best way to avoid the virus is to reduce contact with rodents and their droppings. When cleaning up rodent droppings, it's recommended to use protective gloves and bleach.
Public health experts also caution against sweeping or vacuuming droppings, as it can cause the virus to get into the air.
Have there been any other recent hantavirus cases?
While the most recent suspected outbreak has been aboard the MV Hondius, there was a high-profile last year involving Betsy Arakawa, the wife of Gene Hackman, who died in February 2025 at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
An autopsy confirmed she died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Reports indicated she had been searching for flu-like symptoms in the days before her death.
Evidence of rodent activity was later found on the property, which may have been the source of exposure.
