Confirmed Hantavirus Cases: 6 Cases Across 5 Countries
Last updated: May 8, 2026 · 17:00 UTC
As of the May 7 World Health Organization Director-General briefing, 6 laboratory-confirmed Andes hantavirus cases have been reported across 5 countries in connection with the MV Hondius cluster. This page lists each confirmed case by jurisdiction. It is regenerated on every site build directly from our verified case database — if a jurisdiction is missing here, it is because no confirmed case has yet been reported by a Tier 1 health authority for that jurisdiction.
WHO has additionally noted three suspected cases pending confirmation. Those are not listed here. For the suspected and probable case picture, see the live map or the raw data feed.
Confirmed cases by jurisdiction
South Africa — Gauteng
Johannesburg · Case ID HV-002 · Last verified 2026-05-08
- Confirmed cases: 2
- Deaths (PCR-confirmed cause): 1
- Source tier: Tier 1
- Reporting agencies: Africa CDC, South Africa NICD, South Africa Health Department
Two PCR-confirmed cases on South African territory. Case 2 (Dutch woman, wife of index case) died in Johannesburg emergency department April 26 — PCR-confirmed hantavirus May 4, the only death officially confirmed as hantavirus-caused. Case 3 (adult male) was medically evacuated from Ascension Island April 27 to a Johannesburg ICU, PCR-confirmed hantavirus May 2, alive as of May 7. Case 1 (Dutch man, husband / index case) died at sea April 11 — death attributed to Saint Helena (HV-006) where his body was removed April 24. Africa CDC contact tracing active for Johannesburg flight contacts. Condition improving as of May 7 per WHO and CBC. 60+ contacts identified from April 25 Saint Helena-Johannesburg flight on which confirmed Case 2 traveled. All successfully contacted individuals are being monitored per South Africa Health Department.
Netherlands — Noord-Holland
Amsterdam / Haarlem · Case ID HV-003 · Last verified 2026-05-08
- Confirmed cases: 2
- Deaths (PCR-confirmed cause): 0
- Source tier: Tier 1
- Reporting agencies: RIVM, GGD, WHO
Two Dutch nationals confirmed Andes hantavirus in the Netherlands. Dutch national deaths occurred outside NL territory (Case 2 in South Africa, Case 1 at sea). RIVM contact tracing active. KLM flight attendant from Haarlem hospitalized at Amsterdam UMC. Dutch Health Ministry confirmed hospital admission and testing underway as of May 7. KLM stated it cannot discuss individual cases. Test results pending. Dutch Health Ministry did not confirm her role or contact details publicly. Contact monitoring — not a confirmed case. Three patients evacuated from MV Hondius arrived Netherlands May 7 — German, Dutch, and British nationals. Two symptomatic, one asymptomatic. All now in care of medical professionals per Oceanwide Expeditions.
Germany — Multiple
Various · Case ID HV-009 · Last verified 2026-05-08
- Confirmed cases: 0
- Deaths (PCR-confirmed cause): 1
- Source tier: Tier 3
- Reporting agencies: RKI (monitoring only)
German woman died May 2 onboard MV Hondius. Postmortem sample tested in the Netherlands confirmed Andes hantavirus as cause of death, reported by CNN May 8, 2026. Awaiting formal RKI statement for Tier 1 confirmation — will upgrade source when published.
Switzerland — Multiple
Various · Case ID HV-010 · Last verified 2026-05-07
- Confirmed cases: 1
- Deaths (PCR-confirmed cause): 0
- Source tier: Tier 1
- Reporting agencies: Swiss FOPH
Swiss government confirmed May 6 that a male passenger from MV Hondius is being treated in Zurich with confirmed hantavirus infection. Brings total confirmed cases linked to cluster to 5 per WHO DG briefing May 7.
United Kingdom — United Kingdom
United Kingdom · Case ID HV-021 · Last verified 2026-05-08
- Confirmed cases: 1
- Deaths (PCR-confirmed cause): 0
- Source tier: Tier 1
- Reporting agencies: UKHSA
British health authorities confirmed one UK national has laboratory-confirmed Andes hantavirus as of May 8, 2026. Reported by CNN citing UKHSA. Case linked to MV Hondius cluster.
Death attribution
WHO has reported three deaths linked to the cluster. 2 death (the 69-year-old Dutch woman who died in the Johannesburg emergency department on April 26) is the only PCR-confirmed hantavirus death. The other two — a Dutch male onboard April 11 and a German woman onboard May 2 — remain officially under investigation per WHO Disease Outbreak News and the WHO DG briefing.
Methodology
A case is listed on this page only if it is classified CONFIRMED_CASE in our database, which requires a Tier 1 source — a national health authority,
WHO, or a peer regional CDC. Social media reports and single-tabloid claims are
excluded by design. See our methodology page for the full source-tier rubric.
Sources: WHO DG Briefing May 7 2026; WHO Disease Outbreak News DON599; RIVM (Netherlands); Africa CDC; Swiss Federal Office of Public Health; UKHSA.