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Three Die in Hantavirus Outbreak on MV Hondius Cruise
Health officials have confirmed eight cases of Andes hantavirus tied to an expedition cruise aboard the MV Hondius, with three deaths reported. The World Health Organization assesses the broader public health risk as low. An epidemiologist highlighted rapid spread of misinformation about the outbreak, including false claims involving ivermectin.
May 9, 1:24 AM·2m read2 sources
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Eight cases of hantavirus have been linked to the expedition cruise ship MV Hondius, with three of those cases proving fatal, according to data shared by epidemiologist Katrine Wallace. The strain involved is Andes hantavirus, the only hantavirus known to spread person to person. It generally requires prolonged close contact for transmission.
The World Health Organization considers the broader public health risk from the current hantavirus outbreak low. There is no specific antiviral treatment for hantavirus, and supportive care remains the standard approach. Ivermectin does not treat hantavirus, Wallace stated explicitly.
A Texas doctor known for promoting ivermectin during Covid told followers that ivermectin would work against hantavirus too. Within hours of the first headlines about the outbreak, Wallace's direct messages filled with screenshots of misinformation. One prominent example came from former Rep.
The hashtag #HantaVirusHoax gained traction with posts echoing playbooks used during Covid, mpox and bird flu. A social media post from 2022 that stated “Corona ended, 2026: Hantavirus” has been recirculated as supposed evidence the outbreak was planned years in advance.
Conspiracy accounts frequently make such predictions, most of which are later forgotten unless one appears to align with events.
Pew Research Center data published the week of May 4, 2026 found that half of Americans under 50 get health and wellness information from influencers and podcasts. Wallace, an epidemiologist, researcher and professor at University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health, built a large social media following by debunking medical misinformation in real time.
