Andes Virus (ANDV) Outbreak Tracker
Real-time, open-source dashboard tracking the 2026 Andes virus (hantavirus) situation aboard the MV Hondius. Every data point sourced from CDC, PAHO, WHO, national health ministries, and verified wire services.
Interactive Outbreak Map
Case Trend
Confirmed Cases Over Time
Case Data
| Date | Region | Confirmed | Suspected | Deaths | Transmission | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-04 | MV Hondius — Cape Verde (initial WHO report) | 2 | 5 | 3 | Human-to-human | |
| 2026-05-06 | Switzerland | 1 | — | — | Human-to-human | |
| 2026-05-07 | MV Hondius — Global (23 nationalities) | 5 | 8 | 3 | Human-to-human | |
| 2026-05-08 | MV Hondius — Global (23 nationalities) | 6 | 2 | 3 | Human-to-human |
Event Timeline
Newest first · 15 eventsWHO consolidates case figures: 8 total cases (6 confirmed, 2 suspected) as ship approaches Canary Islands
WHO provides case consolidation update as of May 8, 2026: 6 laboratory-confirmed Andes virus cases and 2 suspected cases (8 total), representing a reclassification from May 7 figures of 5 confirmed + …
Patient hospitalizations confirmed across 5 countries: South Africa, Netherlands, Germany, Saint Helena, Switzerland
WHO confirms as of May 8, 2026, Andes virus patients are receiving medical care across five countries, representing the broadest geographic spread of ANDV hospitalizations in recorded history. Current…
WHO Director-General press briefing: 5 of 8 cases confirmed; 2,500 diagnostic kits deployed to 5 countries
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus held a media briefing on May 7, 2026, providing the most detailed WHO update to date on the MV Hondius outbreak. Key statements: 'While this is a se…
KLM flight attendant hospitalized at Amsterdam UMC with suspected Andes virus — first non-passenger case
A KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flight attendant from Haarlem, Netherlands, was hospitalized at Amsterdam University Medical Center (Amsterdam UMC) with suspected hantavirus (Andes virus) infection. She is…
12 countries monitoring disembarked passengers; Singapore begins testing two former passengers
Health authorities across 12 countries — Canada, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, and United States — are acti…
MV Hondius departs Cape Verde for Tenerife; ECDC issues formal risk assessment
The MV Hondius departed Praia, Cape Verde on May 6, sailing for the port of Granadilla in Tenerife, Canary Islands (Spain). Three additional passengers were medically evacuated. Spain confirmed the sh…
Case confirmed in Switzerland — first post-disembarkation infection identified
A case of Andes virus (ANDV) was confirmed in Switzerland, identified after the patient had disembarked from the MV Hondius. This is the first confirmed case identified outside the ship itself, signal…
MV Hondius arrives Praia, Cape Verde; hantavirus laboratory-confirmed
The MV Hondius arrived at the port of Praia, Cape Verde on May 3. On the same day, hantavirus was laboratory-confirmed in a patient who had been evacuated to a hospital. Testing was conducted at the N…
Third passenger dies; WHO notified; ECDC alerted via EU Early Warning System
A third passenger — a German woman — died aboard the MV Hondius. This prompted formal notification of the World Health Organization (WHO) on May 2, 2026. Simultaneously, the ECDC was notified via the …
Dutch woman (69) dies in Johannesburg hospital — second confirmed death
The wife of the first victim, a 69-year-old Dutch woman, died in a Johannesburg hospital on April 26. She and her husband had been airlifted from the ship on April 24 after he fell critically ill. Bot…
Dutch couple airlifted to Johannesburg; body of first victim evacuated
The body of the first victim — a 70-year-old Dutch man who died on April 11 (initially attributed to natural causes) — and his critically ill wife were airlifted from the MV Hondius to Johannesburg, S…
First death aboard MV Hondius — initially attributed to natural causes
A 70-year-old Dutch man died aboard the MV Hondius on April 11, 2026. At the time, the death was attributed to natural causes. He had been the first to show symptoms (onset April 6). He is later confi…
First symptoms reported aboard MV Hondius — five days after departing Ushuaia
The first passenger aboard the MV Hondius began showing symptoms consistent with Andes virus Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) on April 6, 2026 — five days after the ship departed Ushuaia, Argentina…
MV Hondius departs Ushuaia, Argentina — route through South Atlantic
The MV Hondius, a Dutch-flagged expedition cruise ship operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, departed Ushuaia, Argentina on April 1, 2026 with approximately 150 people aboard from 23 nationalities (88 pa…
NEJM documents super-spreader person-to-person transmission of Andes virus in Argentina
Martinez et al. published in the New England Journal of Medicine a study characterising super-spreader events in person-to-person transmission of Andes virus (ANDV) in Argentina. ANDV remains the only…
About Andes Virus (ANDV)
What makes ANDV different
Andes virus is the only hantavirus with documented person-to-person transmission, most recently characterised in a 2020 NEJM super-spreader study (Martinez et al.). All other hantaviruses require rodent contact. This makes ANDV in a closed environment — like a cruise ship — an elevated concern.
Key facts (CDC / PAHO)
- CFR: 35–50%
- Reservoir: Long-tailed pygmy rice rat (O. longicaudatus)
- Endemic zone: Andean lake districts of Chile and Argentina
- No vaccine or specific treatment exists
- H2H window: ~1 day, peaks when symptoms develop