Impact case studies
Hantavirus outbreak 2026: Rapid response
In May 2026, a cluster of passengers with severe respiratory illness aboard a cruise ship was reported to the World Health Organization. Just a few days later, two cases of hantavirus were confirmed by laboratory testing, and five more cases were suspected to be hantavirus. The MRC–University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research (CVR) offered immediate assistance where needed and our researchers have been approached by media and news outlets across the world for expert comment, highlighting the CVR as a highly trusted voice a trusted voice for information on the current understanding of hantaviruses and the potential impact of this outbreak.
CVR is providing advice to UKHSA, Public Health Scotland and UK Government via NERVTAG, using our understanding and expertise to inform public health approaches, testing, repatriation response, and research opportunities.
CVR has also been requested to receive samples from repatriated UK nationals to assist the UK Health Security Agency in testing for the presence of or exposure to the virus as part of their ongoing monitoring. This hugely important work will help answer critical research questions about this virus outbreak, identify patterns of exposure and infection in the affected passengers and investigate the potential for new treatments for the virus using our high security labs and AI-based technologies.
BBC News Reporting Scotland and BBC Radio Scotland showcased the CVR’s response to this outbreak, featuring our cutting-edge science and highlighting the importance of our research in finding new treatments and vaccines in order to prevent future similar outbreaks.
What are hantaviruses?
Hantaviruses (named after the Hantan river in South Korea where symptoms were first recognised) are a family of viruses that are rodent-borne and are transmitted by animals such as rats and voles. Very broadly the viruses are found throughout East Asia, the Americas and are also found in Europe. Hantaviruses are transmitted by people coming into contact with dried urine or faeces of these infected rodents.
They are very rarely transmitted directly from person to person. Human cases are nearly always due to contact with infected rodents or their bodily fluids. In terms of disease, there are two main types of hantavirus – one can cause disease in the kidneys with intensive fever (“Haemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome” or “HFRS”), the other can cause disease in the lungs (“Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome” or “HPS”). While these are life threatening, most hantavirus infections do not progress to this stage of disease and they are more likely to do so in people with underlying health conditions.
Research outputs
As part of the UKHSA-activated Research and Scientific Evaluation Cell, CVR has submitted proposals for rapid research into Andes virus. We’ll post updates on our research findings here soon.
CVR in the media
- What do we know so far about the cruise ship hantavirus outbreak? [ITV News]
- Ship to sail to Canary Islands with passengers trapped on board [MSN News]
- How an ill-fated excursion could have led to deadly cruise ship outbreak [The Telegraph]
- Hantavirus Cluster Linked to Cruise Ship Highlights Ongoing Zoonotic Risk and the Need for Vigilance [GVN]
- What is hantavirus? The rare virus linked to a deadly cruise ship outbreak [GAVI]
- expert reaction to hantavirus situation on cruise ship heading from Argentina to Cape Verde [SMC]