NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin issued new public health guidance on 8 May 2026 to reassure residents that the risk of hantavirus infection in the UK remains very low, despite recent news coverage concerning an outbreak on a cruise ship. Health officials have stated that cases are extremely rare in this country and there is no evidence of an increased risk to the general public in Telford or the wider UK.
The local guidance follows international reports regarding an outbreak of the Andes strain of hantavirus on the MV Hondius cruise ship. That incident has resulted in eight cases, including six confirmed infections and three deaths. Among those affected are three British nationals, two of whom have confirmed cases and are currently receiving treatment in hospitals in the Netherlands and South Africa.
Following the repatriation of passengers from the ship, 20 British nationals, along with a German resident and a Japanese passenger, are being monitored at Arrowe Park Hospital. These individuals will be asked to self-isolate for up to 45 days with regular testing and care provided by the UK Health Security Agency. The World Health Organization has clarified that this outbreak does not represent the start of a pandemic, noting that the virus spreads in a very different way to illnesses like influenza or COVID-19.
Health authorities have further noted that the Andes strain involved in the cruise ship incident is not carried by rodents in the UK. While hantavirus infections can occasionally occur in this country, they have historically been linked only to the Seoul strain, which is carried by native rodents and does not transmit from person to person.
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