Seven people on a South Atlantic cruise ship have fallen ill with a rare hantavirus, and three of them have died, with one more in critical condition and others still showing symptoms.
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News
The guidance published today by ECDC provides advice for public health professionals in the EU/EEA managing individuals potentially exposed to Andes hantavirus from the M/V Hondius, and for healthcare professionals and transport personnel involved in the disembarkation, transfer, and care of passengers and crew.
Assessment
This document provides advice for public health professionals in the EU/EEA managing individuals potentially exposed to Andes virus infection.
Rapid Scientific Advice on the management of passengers - In the context of the Andes virus outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius
English (462.87 KB - PDF)
Answers to common questions including information on the risk to Europe, hantavirus and Andesvirus, and what ECDC is doing to help control the outbreak.
Surveillance and monitoring
This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 2-8 May 2026, and includes updates on hantavirus, mpox, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), Salmonella Stanley, and an overview of respiratory virus epidemiology in the EU/EEA.
Communicable disease threats report, 2-8 May 2026, Week 19
English (4.56 MB - PDF)
Infographic
Most respiratory virus activity remains low overall across the EU/EEA. RSV: low activity; still the main contributor to severe disease, with the seasonal peak largely passed. Influenza: activity has returned to inter-seasonal levels. SARS-CoV-2: Very low activity overall, despite early signs of sustained transmission in primary care.
Video
This video answers key questions about how Andes virus spreads, why the risk of wider spread in Europe is considered low, what is happening on board the ship, and what health measures are planned when passengers arrive in the Canary Islands.
Surveillance and monitoring
This report provides an overview of measles and rubella cases reported to ECDC through The European Surveillance System (TESSy).
Surveillance information on cases, threats and outbreaks for mpox.
Data
Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goal 3.3 (SDG)
Infographic
To reach the 2030 target of two deaths per 100 000 population, the EU/EEA would need to reduce the number of deaths by 75%.
Infographic
Although the 2025 target has been met, the EU/EEA has seen no decline in deaths due to hepatitis B in the past 15 years.
Infographic
The number of HIV deaths has decreased by 47% since 2010. The EU/EEA is very close to achieving the 50% reduction target set for 2025.
Surveillance and monitoring
This monitoring report provides an update on the progress towards the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.3 targets and other main global and regional targets for eliminating HIV, viral hepatitis, TB and STIs as public health threats.
Overview of progress towards the Sustainable Development Goal 3.3 targets on HIV, tuberculosis, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections in the EU/EEA, 2025
English (2.53 MB - PDF)
Surveillance and monitoring
Although preventable, HIV, tuberculosis (TB), viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) remain public health issues in the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA), causing substantial morbidity and nearly 59 000 deaths annually – 90% of which are due to hepatitis B and C.
Evidence brief: Overview of progress towards the Sustainable Development Goal 3.3 targets on HIV, tuberculosis, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections in the EU/EEA, 2025
English (2.19 MB - PDF)
News story
Despite advancements in detection and treatment, a new report reveals severe shortfalls in reaching the indicators for the Sustainable Development Goal target for HIV, tuberculosis, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) by 2030. More action remains necessary to prevent thousands of annual deaths and slow the rising number of STI diagnoses across Europe.
The Advisory Forum advises the Director of the Centre on the quality of the scientific work undertaken by ECDC.
Assessment
As of 6 May 2026, seven cases have been reported in a hantavirus-associated cluster of illness on a cruise ship, including three deaths, one critically ill, two symptomatic and one with unknown status.
Hantavirus-associated cluster of illness on a cruise ship: ECDC assessment and recommendations
English (403.61 KB - PDF)
Press release
ECDC has deployed an expert from the EU Health Task Force to the cruise ship affected by the Andes hantavirus outbreak, as part of a joint effort to investigate the outbreak and coordinate the public health response together with relevant Member States.
News story
ECDC is launching episomer, a customisable tool designed to support epidemic intelligence activities through the monitoring of social media data.
Tools for public health
Episomer is an R-based tool that allows users to automatically monitor trends of social media posts by time, place and topic.
News story
Hantavirus infection has been laboratory-confirmed in two individuals in connection with the cluster of illness reported on a cruise ship.
Update
ECDC, through the EU Health Task Force, supported a two-day after-action review in Slovakia to analyse response efforts to a large multi-country outbreak of hepatitis A virus and to strengthen preparedness for future events.
This list below shows the current accommodation sites in EU/EEA countries with which clusters of Legionnaires’ disease have been identified but where the European Legionnaires’ disease Surveillance Network (ELDSNet) is unable to assess the risk of Legionella infection, or where ELDSNet believe there may be increased risk to travellers.