The Health Ministry says it is continuing to monitor developments of the Andes strain hantavirus infection among passengers on the MV Hondius cruise ship in collaboration with international health authorities.
As of today, nine passengers have been reported to have developed symptoms, seven of which have been laboratory-confirmed. Three of the patients have died since the outbreak in late April.
The ministry says there were no Israelis on the ship, and so far, no Israelis have been identified among the patients’ contacts.
Hantavirus is a rare virus transmitted mainly by rodents, including mice and rats.
Transmission from person to person is extremely rare and has only been found in cases of close and prolonged contact with a patient or their secretions.
The risk of the disease spreading worldwide and arriving in Israel is assessed as extremely low.
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Tuesday, May 12, 2026
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