Is hantavirus in the US? States monitoring people for possible exposure

Officials in some U.S. states are monitoring residents who recently traveled on board the cruise ship at the center of a hantavirus outbreak.

No cases tied to the outbreak have been reported in the United States, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the overall risk to Americans is low.

Among those connected to the MV Hondius, a cruise ship run by Netherlands-based operator Oceanwide Expeditions, eight people have had either suspected or confirmed cases of hantavirus as of May 7, according to the World Health Organization.

Three people have died from the outbreak, which officials believe began when a Dutch couple was infected while they were off the cruise ship, engaging in wildlife expeditions.

Human hantavirus infection is primarily transmitted through contact with the urine, feces or saliva of infected rodents. The strain at the center of the outbreak has been confirmed as the Andes virus, which is believed to spread person-to-person, according to the WHO.

Here's what Americans need to know about hantavirus in the U.S., including which states are monitoring returning passengers.

Which states are monitoring cruise passengers for hantavirus?

Officials in five states have confirmed they are monitoring residents who recently traveled on board the MV Hondius for hantavirus symptoms. So far in one state, New Jersey, officials are monitoring two people who weren't on the ship but may have been exposed. 

• Arizona: One state resident was recently a passenger on the ship, but is not symptomatic and is being monitored, Magda Rodriguez, a spokesperson for the Arizona Department of Health Services, said in an email to The Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY Network.
• California: Residents were recently on the ship with other passengers infected with hantavirus, though there is no indication that they are sick, Grant Boyken, a spokesperson for the California Department of Public Health, confirmed in an email to The Desert Sun, part of the USA TODAY Network.
• Georgia: Two residents who traveled on MV Hondius are "currently in good health and show no signs of infection," the Georgia Department of Public Health said in a statement to USA TODAY on May 6.
• New Jersey: Two people living in the state were potentially exposed to a person infected with hantavirus who departed from the MV Hondius. The residents were not passengers on the cruise ship; the potential exposure occurred during air travel. Neither person has any symptoms, the state's health department announced on May 8.
• Texas: Two residents were passengers on the ship and returned to the U.S. before the outbreak was identified. They have not experienced any symptoms, the state's health department said in a statement.
• Virginia: One resident who returned home from the ship is in good health and is being monitored, Virginia Department of Health spokesperson Maria Reppas told USA TODAY on May 7.

See map of which states are monitoring hantavirus

The map below shows the six states where officials are monitoring residents who may have been exposed to hantavirus or recently traveled on board the MV Hondius.

Is hantavirus in the US?

There have been no hantavirus cases – suspected or confirmed – reported in the United States from the MV Hondius outbreak.

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on May 7 that twelve countries, including the United States, have been cautioned that it has residents who recently traveled on the MV Hondius.

During the ship's current trip, which began on April 1, about 30 people disembarked in St. Helena, a British territory in the Atlantic, in late April, Oceanwide Expeditions said. Among those who got off at that time were the Dutch couple who died from their infections.

Officials in the United States are monitoring the ongoing situation and the overall risk is low, the CDC said in a May 6 statement.

White House Spokesperson Kush Desai also said in a statement on May 8 that "the entire administration remains vigilant" towards the outbreak.

“While possible risks to the American public remain low, the CDC has convened leading experts on Andes virus to assist in this effort to ensure Americans are protected," the statement said.

Is hantavirus common in the US?

Hantavirus is rare in the United States.

Since the CDC began tracking cases in 1993, there have been less than 900 confirmed infections as of 2023, according to the agency.

Because it is a rodent-borne virus, people who clean up after or work with rodents are at higher risk of exposure, according to the CDC.

Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. Keep up with her on X @melinakh and Instagram @bymelinakhan.

This story has been updated with new information.