3 deaths were reported in a 10-case Andes virus outbreak aboard a cruise ship, and the CDC says the overall risk to the American public is still extremely low.
The CDC issued a Health Alert Network update on May 18, 2026, to tell clinicians and health departments about testing for suspected hantavirus infection, including Andes virus. The backstory: on May 2, WHO was notified of a severe acute respiratory illness cluster aboard the M/V Hondius in the Atlantic Ocean, and on May 6 WHO said the cluster was caused by Andes virus. By May 15, WHO had reported 10 cases, 8 laboratory-confirmed, including 3 deaths.
What’s known: Andes virus is the only hantavirus known to spread person to person, and that transmission is rare and generally linked to prolonged close contact. What’s not known yet: the CDC says no confirmed U.S. cases tied to the ship outbreak had been reported as of May 18, even as U.S. passengers and air-travel contacts are being monitored.
Gobble's Take: This is the rare outbreak update that pairs a scary headline with a very unscary public-risk assessment, which is exactly the kind of paperwork we like from public health.
Source: CDC
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