Two cases of hantavirus have been confirmed after three people died and a UK national was left seriously ill following a suspected outbreak on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean.

In a report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Monday, May 4, 2026, the Organisation issued detailed information on the deadly virus.

In the report, the WHO confirmed that Hantaviruses are zoonotic viruses that naturally infect rodents and are occasionally transmitted to humans.

Infection in people can result in severe illness and often death, although the diseases vary by type of virus and geographical location. 

According to WHO, while there is no specific treatment that cures hantavirus diseases, early supportive medical care is key to improving survival and focuses on close clinical monitoring and management of respiratory, cardiac and kidney complications.

At the same time, the WHO notes that Prevention depends largely on reducing contact between people and infected rodents.

Viral family and classification

Worth noting is that Hantaviruses belong to the family Hantaviridae, within the order Bunyavirales. Also, each hantavirus is typically associated with a specific rodent reservoir species, in which the virus causes long‑term infection without apparent illness.

Although many hantavirus species have been identified worldwide, only a limited number are known to cause human disease.

Transmission

WHO states that transmission of hantaviruses to humans occurs through contact with contaminated urine, droppings, or saliva from infected rodents. Infection may also occur, although less commonly, through rodent bites.’

Meanwhile, activities that involve contact with rodents, such as cleaning enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces, farming, forestry work, and sleeping in rodent-infested dwellings, increase the risk of exposure.

To date, human-to-human transmission has been documented only for Andes virus in the Americas and remains uncommon.

When it occurs, WHO notes that the transmission between people has been associated with close and prolonged contact, particularly among household members or intimate partners, and appears most likely during the early phase of illness, when the virus is more transmissible.

Symptoms and clinical presentation

In humans, symptoms usually begin between one and six weeks after exposure, and typically include fever, headache, muscle aches and gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting.

In HCPS, the disease may progress rapidly to cough, shortness of breath, accumulation of fluid in the lungs and shock.

In HFRS, later stages may include low blood pressure, bleeding disorders and kidney failure.