The CDC Makes a Worrying Update About the Passengers on Hantavirus Cruise

If you're among the many people who have been following the news about a hantavirus outbreak that happened aboard a cruise ship, you may be feeling flashbacks to 2020. And while experts keep reminding the public that the risk is fairly low from this outbreak — the virus is typically spread when people breathe in aerosolized rodent waste, or in rare instances, from extremely close contact with someone who is sick — people can't help but feel anxiety about the possibility of another pandemic.

As such, many of us have been waiting for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to issue an update about the hantavirus outbreak.

The CDC has heard our requests, and they issued an update about the situation, once again reassuring the public about the low general risk and reminding them that the agency continues to work with those who were exposed to the virus while aboard the MV Hondius, where the outbreak was first documented. Here's what the CDC had to say.

On May 13, 2026, the CDC held a press briefing to lay minds at ease, according to The Hill. In the briefing, incident manager for the CDC's hantavirus response, David Fitter, reassured the public that the public risk still remained incredibly low. However, he did note that the passengers who had been exposed to the virus were not being required to quarantine once they arrived back in the U.S.

Instead, he said the agency was "encouraging" them to remain isolated for the time being.

“Our role now is to continue our conversations with each passenger about their potential exposure and work with partners to ensure appropriate monitoring,” he explained. It sounds like the typical incubation period, the CDC is advising a 42-day monitoring period for those exposed, which began on May 11, 2026 and would be set to end on June 22, 2026.

As of the time of the press briefing, the outbreak had 11 confirmed cases, three of which turned out to be fatal.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the hantavirus is part of a group of viruses that can cause severe illnesses in humans. The virus is carried by rodents, and people usually come into contact with it when they are exposed to infected rodents, their urine, or their nesting material.

In certain strains, like the Andes virus, the hantavirus can be transmitted from human to human through close contact, which is what is believed to be the problem aboard the cruise ship.

There is no treatment that is specific to this virus, nor is there a vaccine.

Most of the healthcare that is given for the infection involves treating the complications that arise during infection, like issues with cardiac and kidney function, or respiratory distress. As such, prevention is the best way to avoid unfavorable health outcomes when it comes to dealing with the hantavirus.