Hantavirus monitoring complete for 2 Texas passengers in cruise ship outbreak, health officials say

Saturday, June 6, 2026 10:35PM

Health officials have confirmed that the two Texas residents who were aboard the hantavirus-stricken MV Hondius cruise ship have completed their monitoring period with no signs of infection.

PREVIOUS REPORT: 2 Texas residents were on cruise ship at center of hantavirus outbreak, health officials confirm

According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, it has been 42 days since the two passengers' last possible exposure to the virus. While they were isolating at home, the Texas residents were evaluated twice daily in person by public health officials, DSHS said, adding that they no longer need to follow public health guidance related to the exposure.

"I'd like to thank the passengers for their willingness to collaborate with public health throughout the monitoring period," Chief State Epidemiologist Varun Shetty, MD, said. "I would also like to thank the many dedicated public health professionals who worked on this situation and work every day to keep their fellow Texans safe."

DSHS said they were initially notified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about two passengers who left the ship and returned to the U.S. before the outbreak was discovered.

According to health officials, hantaviruses are usually spread through contact with wild rodent droppings or urine. The strain in the MV Hondius outbreak, Andes virus, can spread from person to person in limited circumstances. Monitoring was recommended for everyone who was aboard the ship after some passengers became sick with the virus while on board, DSHS officials explained.