DALLAS (KRLD) — Two Texas residents are back home and showing no symptoms after they were passengers on a cruise ship that experienced a hantavirus outbreak in the Atlantic Ocean, state health officials said Thursday.
The Texas Department of State Health Services announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notified them about the two individuals who had been aboard the MV Hondius. The Dutch-flagged expedition ship departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1 with 147 passengers and crew from 23 countries. The Texans left the vessel and returned to the United States before the outbreak was identified around May 2.
Public health workers in Texas reached both residents. They reported no symptoms and said they had no contact with anyone who was sick while onboard. The two have agreed to self-monitor with daily temperature checks and to notify officials immediately if they develop any signs of illness.
Two Texas residents were on board a cruise ship that experienced an outbreak of the rare hantavirus, health officials confirmed.
— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) May 7, 2026
The CDC notified the Texas Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday that the two individuals had left the MV Hondius and returned to the… pic.twitter.com/VRORzQO8Xa
As of Thursday, the outbreak has resulted in three confirmed deaths and several additional confirmed or suspected cases of hantavirus, including the Andes strain. That strain can spread through close, prolonged contact with a sick person in limited circumstances, though officials note there have been no documented cases of asymptomatic transmission.
The World Health Organization and health authorities in multiple countries are coordinating the response. The ship remains under precautionary measures and is heading toward Spain’s Canary Islands. Several states, including Texas, are monitoring returned passengers as a precaution.
Hantavirus is a rare family of viruses typically spread by contact with infected rodent droppings or urine. Health officials emphasize the risk to the general public remains extremely low, with no evidence of wider community spread.
The Texas Department of State Health Services said it will not release further personal details about the two residents to protect their privacy.
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Public health workers in Texas reached both residents.
Public health workers in Texas reached both residents.
