BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhua) -- A hantavirus outbreak linked to an Antarctic cruise expedition and a series of norovirus infections aboard major cruise vessels this May have renewed concerns over public health risks in the global cruise industry.
While the two diseases differ significantly, health experts say both incidents highlight how cruise ships remain vulnerable to infectious disease outbreaks.
OUTBREAKS AT SEA
The international health alert began after several passengers aboard the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius developed symptoms during an Antarctic expedition departing from Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1.
The vessel had been carrying 147 passengers and crew members from 23 countries when a cluster of severe respiratory illnesses was reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) on May 2, more than a month after the ship set sail from southern Argentina.
Health authorities later confirmed the presence of the Andes virus, a rare strain of hantavirus. As of Friday, the outbreak has resulted in three deaths among 11 confirmed cases linked to the vessel.
Hantaviruses are rodent-borne viruses that can cause severe respiratory or hemorrhagic diseases in humans. According to the WHO, the Andes virus is among the few hantavirus strains with documented person-to-person transmission through prolonged close contact.
While hantavirus cases on cruise ships remain extremely rare, norovirus outbreaks are a persistent challenge for the industry.
On May 7, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that 145 passengers and 15 crew members aboard the Caribbean Princess had fallen ill during a Caribbean voyage.
In a separate incident, around 50 people aboard the Ambition cruise ship, which set sail from Belfast on May 8, developed gastrointestinal symptoms while the vessel was docked in Bordeaux, France, forcing more than 1,700 passengers and crew members to remain temporarily on board for over 24 hours.
Norovirus, commonly called viral gastroenteritis, causes vomiting and diarrhea and spreads rapidly in crowded settings through contaminated food, surfaces, or close personal contact.
U.S. CDC data showed that more than 2,200 people were affected in 18 reported norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships in 2025.
GLOBAL RESPONSE
The international response to the hantavirus threat was swift, with the WHO triggering a multi-country monitoring effort on May 2. Spanish authorities coordinated a large-scale evacuation operation in Tenerife after the WHO requested assistance in managing the outbreak.
Following disembarkation on the coast of Tenerife in Spain's Canary Islands on Sunday, travelers from various nations were either hospitalized in Spain or repatriated for quarantine and continued monitoring in their home countries.
Health officials emphasized that the virus spreads far less efficiently than influenza, measles or COVID-19, amid concerns that memories of the pandemic could amplify public anxiety.
"This is not another COVID," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement, emphasizing that the current public health risk remains limited.
For the norovirus outbreaks, cruise operators said enhanced sanitation, isolation measures and onboard hygiene protocols had been implemented to contain further spread.
Ambassador Cruise Line said intensified cleaning and disinfection measures had been carried out in public areas aboard the Ambition vessel, alongside reinforced hand hygiene guidance and assisted food service at selected dining venues.
The company also said there was no link between the norovirus incident aboard the Ambition and the hantavirus outbreak involving the MV Hondius.
WHY CRUISE SHIPS REMAIN VULNERABLE
Public health experts say cruise ships remain vulnerable to outbreaks because enclosed spaces, shared facilities, and intensive passenger contact allow pathogens to spread quickly.
The combination of structural risk factors and global passenger mobility has made cruise ships a persistent focus of infectious disease surveillance.
To mitigate future risks, the U.S. CDC is emphasizing improved shipboard ventilation, rapid onboard testing and early symptom reporting.
Joseph G. Allen, an associate professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said the hantavirus outbreak is unlikely to trigger a pandemic.
However, he warned that public health officials should communicate emerging risks cautiously and transparently, particularly when scientific understanding is still evolving in the early stages of an outbreak.
Public health experts say the recent outbreaks highlight the ongoing challenge of balancing disease prevention, transparent risk communication and normal international travel in the post-pandemic era. ■
