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ABC News

Hantavirus live updates: 41 people under monitoring across US

PHOTO: The exterior of Emory University Hospital, where two passengers from the cruise ship that had an hantavirus outbreak, are being monitored and treated, in Atlanta, Georgia, May 11, 2026.
1:35
Alyssa Pointer/Reuters
Officials tracking at least 41 Americans after deadly hantavirus outbreak
By Christopher Watson, Ivan Pereira, Jon Haworth, Mary Kekatos, Nadine El-Bawab, Leah Sarnoff, Kevin Shalvey
Last Updated: May 11, 2026, 8:10 PM

The total number of confirmed and probable cases of hantavirus of those who were onboard the MV Hondius cruise ship stands at 10, including two people confirmed to have died from the virus and one person who remains suspected to have died from the virus.

Sixteen American passengers arrived on Monday at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Fifteen of those passengers were being monitored in a quarantine unit and another, who had initially tested positive, was in a biocontainment unit, officials said. Later, that person tested negative and was medically cleared to go to the quarantine unit.

Two other American passengers were flown to Atlanta for "further assessment and care," officials said.

Key Headlines

  • American doctor who initially tested positive says further testing shows 'no evidence that I've had hantavirus'
  • 12 quarantined staff members at Dutch hospital were not contagious to others, hospital says
  • 41 people under monitoring for hantavirus across US, CDC says
  • All close contact patients in France test negative, health minister says
  • 3 in Kansas taken to hospital for observation after being exposed to hantavirus abroad
Here's how the news is developing.

Pinned
May 08, 2026 5:17 PM

What is hantavirus and how does it spread?

Here's what you need to know about hantavirus including what it is, how it spreads, how it's treated and if there are any prevention methods:

What is hantavirus?

Hantaviruses are a family of viruses that can cause serious illnesses and death, according to the CDC.

PHOTO: Stock photo of a colorized electron micrograph of the Hantavirus.
Alfred Pasieka/Science Photo Lib/STOCK PHOTO/Getty Images
Stock photo of a colorized electron micrograph of the Hantavirus.
Alfred Pasieka/Science Photo Lib/STOCK PHOTO/Getty Images

How does hantavirus spread?

Hantaviruses may also spread from person to person, but that also is rare and only suspected for one subtype from South America, according to the WHO.

Read more about hantavirus here.


Pinned
May 10, 2026 6:01 AM

Cruise ship arrives in Tenerife

The MV Hondius arrived early on Sunday off the coast of Tenerife, dropping anchor near the industrial port of Granadilla at about 5:30 a.m. local time.

PHOTO: The cruise ship MV Hondius arrives at the port of Granadilla de Abona after being affected by a hantavirus outbreak, in Tenerife, Spain, May 10, 2026.
Hannah Mckay/Reuters
The cruise ship MV Hondius arrives at the port of Granadilla de Abona after being affected by a hantavirus outbreak, in Tenerife, Spain, May 10, 2026.
Hannah Mckay/Reuters

Evacuations from the ship were expected to began as soon as possible.

The local government in the Canary Islands, the Spanish archipelago off the northwestern African coast, said it would like everyone off the boat and out of the Canary Islands by today.

PHOTO: The cruise ship MV Hondius arrives at the port of Granadilla de Abona after being affected by a hantavirus outbreak, in Tenerife, Spain, May 10, 2026.
Pedro Nunes/Reuters
The cruise ship MV Hondius arrives at the port of Granadilla de Abona after being affected by a hantavirus outbreak, in Tenerife, Spain, May 10, 2026.
Pedro Nunes/Reuters

They also said they want the boat to depart by end of day.

-ABC News’ Magie Rulli, Dragana Jovanovic and Aicha El Hammar Castano


May 11, 2026 8:10 PM

Spanish national tests positive

One of the Spanish passengers isolated at Gómez Ulla Hospital in Madrid has tested provisionally positive, bringing the total likely number of hantaviruses case to 11, according to Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia.

The passenger does not have symptoms, Garcia said. The passenger is isolate in good condition and is under constant monitoring, Garcia said.

“The other 13 passengers have tested provisionally negative. In the coming hours, we will know the definitive results,” Garcia added.


May 11, 2026 6:31 PM

Ship sets sail after evacuating passengers, crew

The MV Hondius cruise ship has set sail from Spain after evacuating passengers and crew from 23 countries, Spanish health minister Monica Garcia said.

"Mission accomplished. Thank you to everyone who made this possible. We continue working to protect public health,” Garcia said.

PHOTO: SPAIN-HEALTH-HANTAVIRUS-ILLNESS-TOURISM
Jorge Guerrero/AFP via Getty Images
The hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius leaves the port of Granadilla de Abona on the island of Tenerife in Spain's Canary Islands, May 11, 2026.
Jorge Guerrero/AFP via Getty Images
PHOTO: SPAIN-HEALTH-HANTAVIRUS-ILLNESS-TOURISM
Jorge Guerrero/AFP via Getty Images
The hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius leaves the port of Granadilla de Abona on the island of Tenerife in Spain's Canary Islands, May 11, 2026.
Jorge Guerrero/AFP via Getty Images


The ship still has "around 30 people, the crew and two health workers, and they will need our support throughout their journey until they reach Rotterdam,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization. “... We will continue to monitor and support them in any way possible.”


May 11, 2026 6:28 PM

8 more people in isolation in French hospital, prime minister says

Eight French nationals who shared a flight with a sick person 15 days ago are now in isolation at a hospital in France, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said. None of the eight have symptoms, he said.

PHOTO: Passengers are disembarked from the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius at the port of Granadilla in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, May 10, 2026.
Manu Fernandez/AP
Passengers are disembarked from the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius at the port of Granadilla in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, May 10, 2026.
Manu Fernandez/AP

.

This is in additional to the five French nationals who returned to France on Sunday from the cruise ship and are in isolation at Bichat Hospital in Paris. Four are still testing negative, while the one who tested positive for hantavirus is in intensive care in stable condition, the prime minister said.

-ABC News' Will Gretsky



May 11, 2026 5:54 PM

Eligible passengers who opt to go home won't fly commercial: CDC

In the coming days, as the cruise ship passengers decide whether to stay at the University of Nebraska quarantine facility or self-monitor at home, those who opt to go home will not fly on a commercial flight, an official from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told ABC News. Passengers who opt to go home will have been assessed by health officials for any signs of illness.

PHOTO: A Spanish passenger is sprayed with disinfectant by Spanish government officials before boarding a plane after disembarking from the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius at Tenerife airport in the Canary Islands, Spain, May 10, 2026.
AP
A Spanish passenger is sprayed with disinfectant by Spanish government officials before boarding a plane after disembarking from the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius at Tenerife airport in the Canary Islands, Spain, May 10, 2026.
AP


-ABC News’ Youri Benadjaoud


May 10, 2026 6:01 AM

Cruise ship arrives in Tenerife

The MV Hondius arrived early on Sunday off the coast of Tenerife, dropping anchor near the industrial port of Granadilla at about 5:30 a.m. local time.

PHOTO: The cruise ship MV Hondius arrives at the port of Granadilla de Abona after being affected by a hantavirus outbreak, in Tenerife, Spain, May 10, 2026.
Hannah Mckay/Reuters
The cruise ship MV Hondius arrives at the port of Granadilla de Abona after being affected by a hantavirus outbreak, in Tenerife, Spain, May 10, 2026.
Hannah Mckay/Reuters

Evacuations from the ship were expected to began as soon as possible.

The local government in the Canary Islands, the Spanish archipelago off the northwestern African coast, said it would like everyone off the boat and out of the Canary Islands by today.

PHOTO: The cruise ship MV Hondius arrives at the port of Granadilla de Abona after being affected by a hantavirus outbreak, in Tenerife, Spain, May 10, 2026.
Pedro Nunes/Reuters
The cruise ship MV Hondius arrives at the port of Granadilla de Abona after being affected by a hantavirus outbreak, in Tenerife, Spain, May 10, 2026.
Pedro Nunes/Reuters

They also said they want the boat to depart by end of day.

-ABC News’ Magie Rulli, Dragana Jovanovic and Aicha El Hammar Castano


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