TRANSMISSION GUIDE · UPDATED MAY 7, 2026
Can Andes Virus Spread
Person to Person?
Yes. Andes virus is the only hantavirus strain in the world confirmed to spread from person to person. All other hantavirus strains only spread from infected rodents to humans — not between people. This is why the 2026 MV Hondius outbreak is uniquely dangerous.
HOW IT SPREADS
Prolonged Close Contact
The primary route. Documented cases have involved sleeping in the same bed as an infected person or sharing food. The transmission mechanism is believed to involve respiratory secretions during extended close contact.
NOT Airborne (Like COVID)
Andes virus does not spread through the air at a distance. Brief encounters — sitting near someone on a plane, being in the same room — have not been documented as transmission routes.
NOT via Rodent on This Ship
The MV Hondius outbreak is confirmed person-to-person spread, not rodent exposure. This distinguishes it from typical hantavirus cases which require direct contact with infected rodent droppings.
THE MV HONDIUS OUTBREAK — 2026
In April–May 2026, the polar expedition cruise ship MV Hondius experienced a confirmed Andes virus cluster. 11 total cases (9 confirmed, 2 probable) were identified, 3 died, and 173+ passengers and crew from 23 countries were monitored. The ship docked in Rotterdam on May 18 for disinfection. WHO confirmed the Andes strain on May 6, 2026 — the first multi-country person-to-person outbreak of Andes virus ever documented on a vessel.
WHO IS AT RISK?
MV Hondius passengers (April–May 2026)
Close contacts of confirmed cases — household members, caregivers
General public with no link to the outbreak