Hantavirus Outbreak 2026: Symptoms, fatality rates, and how to stay safe (Freepik)

Three people have been reported dead following a suspected Hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship on the Atlantic Ocean, the World Health Organization (WHO) told the BBC . According to their report, the MV Hondius ship, travelling from Argentina to Cape Verde with 150 or so passengers, recorded one confirmed and five suspected cases of this rare but dangerous disease.

But what exactly is Hantavirus?

Dr Shilpa Singi, Lead Consultant – Academies and Strategies Internal Medicine, Aster Whitefield Hospital, Bangalore explains that Hantavirus is an infection that occurs when people come into contact with infected rodent urine and droppings and saliva from a group of viruses.

Dr Swati Rajagopal, Senior Consultant – Infectious Disease & Travel Medicine, Aster CMI Hospital, Bangalore, adds that while it does not spread through casual contact between people in most cases, humans also run the risk of getting infected by breathing…