CDC Concludes Response to Hantavirus Outbreak from Cruise Ship

The CDC has concluded its response to a hantavirus outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship. After the virus, specifically the Andes strain, claimed three lives, all exposed U.S. citizens have completed a 42-day monitoring period with no additional cases reported. The risk to the public remains low.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the conclusion of its response to a hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship. This decision comes after a 42-day monitoring period of exposed passengers ended with no new cases reported in the country.

According to Acting Director Jay Bhattacharya, protecting Americans remains a top priority. The outbreak, involving the rare Andes virus, primarily circulates in Argentina and Chile, with this specific incident beginning when the ship set sail from Argentina on April 1.

U.S. health secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. praised swift actions by the Health and Human Services Department, which helped prevent sustained transmission in the U.S. The public risk from the Andes virus is minimized, given its limited spread potential.