Jamaine Punzalan

Article (news)

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17830423391761783042333121.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">This aerial picture shows a general view of the cruise ship MV Hondius stationary off the port of Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, on May 4, 2026. AFP<br style="color:rgb(104, 104, 104);orphans:2;widows:2;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial" id="isPasted"/></span></span></span></div><p>The World Health Organization on Thursday declared an end to the deadly <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2026/5/19/hantavirus-hit-cruise-ship-ends-deadly-voyage-0924">hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship</a> which sparked international alarm, after the last person left <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/6/19/quarantine-over-for-almost-all-hantavirus-ship-passengers-crew-0843">quarantine</a>.</p><p>There were 12 confirmed and one probable case stemming from the MV Hondius, including three deaths.</p><p>But while the outbreak is now over, for scientists and experts, the work is only in its early stages, as they try to learn lessons from the episode that triggered a global health alert.</p><p>&quot;Today, the final contact of a person exposed to hantavirus on the cruise ship MV Hondius completed their quarantine period, tested negative and returned home,&quot; WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press conference.</p><p>&quot;No further cases have been reported since May 25.</p><p>&quot;We are therefore very pleased to say that WHO considers the outbreak of hantavirus over.&quot;</p><p>The Dutch-flagged ship set off April 1 from Ushuaia, Argentina, taking in remote islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, including Tristan da Cunha, before heading north to Tenerife in Spain&#x27;s Canary Islands, where remaining passengers were evacuated.</p><p>The polar exploration ship finally docked on May 18 in Rotterdam harbour in the Netherlands.</p><p>On May 30, the ship was cleared to put to sea again after cleaning and disinfection.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2026/5/25/38-ofws-aboard-hantavirus-stricken-ship-test-negative-remain-asymptomatic-dmw-0011">38 OFWs aboard hantavirus-stricken ship test negative, remain asymptomatic -- DMW</a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2026/5/5/pls-publish-at-1130pm-who-human-to-human-transmission-suspected-on-hantavirus-cruise-ship-2330">WHO: Human-to-human transmission suspected on hantavirus cruise ship</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>QUEST  FOR FUTURE VACCINES</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Tedros said more than 650 contacts were identified and followed up by health authorities in 33 countries and territories.</p><p>He said the WHO would continue working to understand the outbreak, and the virus itself.</p><p>&quot;We are also coordinating a study involving 21 countries to understand how the disease develops, which will support the development of diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines for future outbreaks,&quot; Tedros said.</p><p><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2026/5/4/explainer-what-is-hantavirus-1844">Spread by rodents</a>, hantavirus is a rare virus for which no vaccines or specific treatments exist.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2026/5/8/hantavirus-not-like-covid-doctor-treating-patient-in-netherlands-0724">Hantavirus not like Covid: doctor treating patient </a></div><p>The Andes species behind the Hondius outbreak is the only strain of hantavirus known to be able to jump from human to human.</p><p>It had been thought that a passenger on the ship caught the virus while travelling in regions of Argentina where it is endemic.</p><p>However the country&#x27;s health ministry announced in June that an investigation in a second Argentine province had failed to find any virus-carrying rodents.</p><p>Diana Rojas Alvarez, the WHO&#x27;s high impact epidemics chief said the Hondius outbreak could be declared over as it was no longer a public health risk.</p><p>&quot;However, Andes virus and other hantaviruses are still a public health threat for South America and some other endemic areas,&quot; she said.</p><p>Experts need to keep monitoring such viruses and preparing for further spread, and involve local communities in preparedness and prevention.</p><p>&quot;The work on hantaviruses needs to continue over time,&quot; she said.</p><p>The WHO hoped the episode might spur its member states into finally completing the missing part of the Pandemic Agreement later this month, so it may finally become operational.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2026/5/8/doh-monitoring-preparations-in-place-for-hantavirus-1117">DOH: Monitoring, preparations in place for hantavirus</a><br style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);orphans:2;widows:2;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial" id="isPasted"/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2026/5/5/what-is-hantavirus-and-can-it-spread-between-humans-0926">What is hantavirus, and can it spread between humans?</a></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sRUWRdvmTgw?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7rjaJNNoCDo?&amp;pp=0gcJCUwLAYcqIYzv&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The World Health Organization on Thursday declared an end to the deadly hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship which sparked international alarm, after the last person left quarantine.</p>

The World Health Organization on Thursday declared an end to the deadly hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship which sparked international alarm, after the last person left quarantine.

WHO declares cruise ship hantavirus outbreak over

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WHO declares cruise ship hantavirus outbreak over

Agence France-Presse

Published July 03, 2026 09:32 AM PHT

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