CDC Activates Emergency Operations Center for Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention activated its Emergency Operations Center and classified the hantavirus outbreak as a Level 3 emergency, multiple sources told ABC News on May 8, 2026. The cruise ship carrying the outbreak is expected to anchor Sunday at Granadilla Port in Tenerife, Spain.

Live video feeds showed preparations at the port as the vessel approached. Officials have said the situation does not represent the next pandemic. New hantavirus cases were confirmed aboard the cruise ship the previous day. The agency is continuing to track the outbreak while providing information on how contagious the virus is and how it compares to the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Background on the Outbreak ABC News reported earlier on a suspected hantavirus cluster and answered viewer questions about the virus. Officials have sought to track the deadly outbreak while emphasizing it is not expected to become a pandemic like previous respiratory viruses.

The hantavirus questions addressed by ABC News included details on transmission and similarity to other viruses. The cruise ship remains the central focus of the response as it prepares to dock in Spain.