Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
The CDC is responding to an outbreak of Andes virus, a type of hantavirus, among passengers and crew aboard a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean. The outbreak was reported on May 2, 2026, with the World Health Organization confirming the virus strain. Andes virus can cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a severe and potentially fatal lung disease.
Although several U.S. passengers left the cruise ship before the outbreak was identified and some have since returned to the United States, no cases related to this outbreak have been reported domestically. The CDC has notified state health departments of these passengers' locations and is providing ongoing guidance and updates to local authorities to protect the passengers and their contacts.
The CDC is working closely with the U.S. State Department, the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, and international public health partners to facilitate the safe return of Americans on the ship. In addition to providing technical assistance to public health entities, the CDC maintains continuous operations at U.S. ports of entry to identify and manage travelers potentially exposed to infectious diseases.
At this time, the CDC assesses the overall risk to the American public and travelers as extremely low, and routine travel activities may continue as usual. The primary mode of hantavirus transmission is through exposure to rodents or their excretions in affected areas, with the Andes virus being unique in its ability to spread between people under certain conditions.