On a visit to Yosemite some years ago we were given information at the entrance to the park about how to avoid hanta virus

Y. pestis - which causes bubonic plague- has been in the American southwest since the early 1900s. There are a handful of cases reported every year: it’s treatable if you can get to a hospital or doctor that recognizes it.

The hanta virus that is native to the US does not transmit from person to person.

The one from the cruise ship is called Andes hanta virus, which is native to South America and can transmit from human to human.

The US virus cannot so hopefully the SA can be contained. It doesn't mutate as often as covid.

thought I might have missed something.

First identified in 1995. Only ~3,000 cases since then, eg. avg 100 cases per year.

MV Hondius Outbreak

4/1/2026 - Hondius leaves Argentina with 150 passengers

4/6 - Male 70YO is ill

4/11 - the Male dies, attributed to 'natural causes'

4/13-15 - Hondius stops at Tristan (island in south Atlantic), then continues northward

4/24 - Hondius stops at St Helena (another island), body of 70YO male taken off ship, 29 passengers leave the ship for good, including the 69YO widow of the 70YO male who goes to South Africa, ill

4/25 - 69YO female is wheelchaired onto KLM 592 in South Africa where she remains for 45-minutes before flight attendant declares her too ill to fly. She is removed from plane. Dies later that day.

4/26 - Hondius to Ascension island. Sick British passenger is removed and transported to South Africa

5/2 - German male dies onboard Hondius. WHO announces that the pathogen is a hantavirus

5/4 - Pathogen is confirmed specifically as Andes hantavirus. South Africa initiates contact tracing.

5/6 - Spain approves docking the Hondius at Tenerife. Swiss confirm one of the passengers who departed the boat on 4/24 is ill with Andes hantavirus.

5/7-8 KLM flight attendant + 2 passengers test negative

I have not found any accounts of those testing positive being someone who was not on the Hondius.

ETA: This doctor was in close contact with many of the positives. Coordinated efforts between the ship and European health authorities. First hand perspective from an MD:

It's quite a brew. Scientist after doctor after researcher has been exhaustively out there explaining why this isn't really a thing.

But no. People read things on the Internet and news media smell ratings.

Jon Stewart took them all to task last night.

It is weird watching "Trust the science!" people discard the science because they love their addiction to anxiety more at this point.

Trump isn't leading the response, he is sitting back hoping it works out.

Watch that travel like wildfire...