Kansas Monitors 3 After Cruise Ship Hantavirus Exposure; 11 Cases Confirmed Worldwide

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment confirmed this week that three state residents who had direct contact with a confirmed Andes hantavirus case are being monitored for symptoms, according to a May 12 update. The three individuals were exposed abroad after contact with an infected passenger from the MV Hondius, the expedition cruise ship where an international outbreak began in early May. None of the Kansas residents are currently showing symptoms, and no confirmed cases have been detected in the state, KDHE officials said. The outbreak aboard the Hondius has grown to 11 confirmed or suspected cases among 149 passengers and crew, with three deaths reported as of May 12. The WHO was first notified of the cluster on May 2 after severe acute respiratory illnesses emerged among those aboard the vessel, then anchored in the South Atlantic near Cabo Verde. Laboratory tests identified the culprit as Andes virus, a rare hantavirus strain unique to South America and the only known hantavirus capable of sustained person-to-person transmission. The ship has been undergoing international repatriation efforts, with U.S. passengers evacuated and transferred to medical facilities for monitoring. Sixteen American passengers were transported to the University of Nebraska Medical Center, where one tested positive for Andes virus and is being held in a biocontainment unit. Two additional U.S. passengers—a couple—are being monitored at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta after one displayed mild symptoms. Acting CDC Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya emphasized Tuesday that precautions have kept public risk minimal. "Our priority is to make sure that they are okay, but also to keep the public safe," Bhattacharya told Scripps News Group. "The assessment from CDC experts is that there's basically no risk to the American public at this point given the way we've handled it to date." Healthcare officials across multiple states are now conducting contact tracing and symptom monitoring. Arizona, California, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, Texas, and Virginia have all identified individuals linked to the outbreak. The CDC issued Health Advisory No. 528 on May 8 directing clinicians to include hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in their differential diagnosis for symptomatic patients with epidemiological risk factors within 42 days of exposure. Symptoms typically appear between one and eight weeks and include fever, chills, and muscle aches, though the incubation period can extend to six weeks. The MV Hondius, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, is headed to the Netherlands for cleaning and disinfection, with 27 individuals—25 crew members and two medical staff—remaining aboard. The ship is expected to arrive in European waters by May 19. While Andes virus transmission requires prolonged close contact with infected individuals or their body fluids, officials stress vigilance among healthcare providers and the traveling public. The Kansas residents under observation will be monitored for the full 42-day window to rule out delayed symptom onset, though mandatory quarantine is not required.