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WHO says seven cases of hantavirus confirmed from cruise ship

By Thomson Reuters May 11, 2026 | 7:25 AM

By Jennifer Rigby

LONDON, May 11 (Reuters) – Seven cases of the Andes hantavirus ​have now been ‌confirmed among people who were passengers on board the cruise ship, the World Health ‌Organization ​said on ⁠Monday.

The agency updated ⁠its overall tally of reported cases to nine on Monday, a WHO ​spokesperson said by email, after France reported ⁠that a ⁠French passenger evacuated from ​the MV Hondius had ​tested positive for the virus.

A ‌further two of the nine cases are suspected to be hantavirus, ⁠including the person who is believed to have been the first ⁠one ‌infected in the ⁠outbreak. He died ​before ‌he could be ​tested. In ⁠total, three people have died in the outbreak, the WHO said.

(Reporting by Jennifer Rigby; Editing by ​Toby Chopra)