Three Dead From Hantavirus on an Antarctic Cruise Ship. How Did They Get It?

Three passengers died and three others became seriously ill after a hantavirus outbreak aboard the Antarctic expedition ship MV Hondius.

Officials have one lab-confirmed case and five suspected infections, and are investigating whether exposure happened in port, on remote landings, or from rodents on the ship.

The suspected source matters because hantavirus is rarely linked to cruise ships, and the findings could shape future health and safety protocols.

The vessel had traveled through Cape Verde, Ushuaia, South Georgia, the Falkland Islands, and Antarctica, complicating the exposure trace.