The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has issued an advisory to Member States and the public following a confirmed cluster of hantavirus cases aboard a cruise ship in the Central Atlantic Ocean — while stressing that the risk to the Caribbean region remains low.
The alert comes after the World Health Organization (WHO) was formally notified on 2nd May 2026 by the United Kingdom’s International Health Regulations Focal Point of a respiratory illness cluster affecting both passengers and crew aboard the vessel.
Laboratory testing confirmed hantavirus in at least one critically ill patient aboard the ship. As of 6th May 2026, the WHO had recorded a total of eight cases — three confirmed and five suspected — along with three deaths.
CARPHA said it was alerted to the development on 3rd May through its Information Environment and Monitoring platform and has been tracking the situation closely since.
Hantaviruses are primarily rodent-borne infections, transmitted to humans through contact with contaminated urine, droppings, or saliva from infected animals. The virus does not typically spread easily between people.
CARPHA Executive Director Dr. Lisa Indar moved to reassure the public, noting that the circumstances of transmission in the Caribbean are markedly different from those seen in the current cluster.
“At this time, the risk to the Caribbean region is considered low. In the Americas, hantaviruses are most commonly transmitted by wild field rodents rather than urban rat populations, where transmission is less likely,” Dr. Indar said.
She also acknowledged that while human-to-human transmission of hantavirus is possible, it is rare.
Despite the low regional risk assessment, CARPHA is urging all Member States to heighten vigilance — particularly given the Caribbean’s status as the world’s leading cruise destination.
The region accounts for approximately 44% of global cruise traffic, with an estimated 16.3 million passengers recorded in 2025 alone. CARPHA is advising countries to review and strengthen vessel surveillance systems and public health protocols, especially at ports of entry.
CARPHA highlighted two key surveillance tools currently supporting the region’s response capacity.
The Tourism and Health Information System (THiS) and the Caribbean Vessel Surveillance System (CVSS) are described as providing early warnings of public health threats linked to both tourism accommodations and maritime travel.
“These systems enable timely information sharing, strengthen decision-making, and support rapid, targeted responses by national health authorities,” Dr. Indar said.
The CVSS has already demonstrated its effectiveness — detecting syndromic cases before ships arrive at Caribbean ports, with over 96% of all cruise ship alerts reported to Member States within 24 hours.
CARPHA confirmed it will continue to monitor the hantavirus situation in close collaboration with regional and international partners, and will provide updates as the situation develops.