Hantavirus outbreak spreads to Europe after MV Hondius cruise passenger tests positive back home | 6 May 2026 | The deadly hantavirus outbreak has spread to Europe after a passenger who had already left the MV Hondius cruise ship tested positive back home, authorities announced in an alarming update Wednesday. Swiss authorities said the man returned home last month following a trip to South America with his wife before testing positive for the virus, which can lie dormant for up to eight weeks. He went to a Zurich hospital for testing after the cruise operator, Oceanwide Expeditions, emailed recent passengers about the spreading virus that has killed three people and sickened at least five, the World Health Organization said. The news is sparking panic given that the virus appears to be spreading via “human-to-human transmission” and can be dangerous for eight weeks — with the cruise stranded at sea with alarmed countries scared of allowing it to dock. [Do not comply.]