Hantavirus killed 3 on a cruise ship. Is NC at risk? Here’s what to know

A rare rodent-borne illness called hantavirus killed three people connected to a cruise ship outbreak, according to the World Health Organization. A local epidemiology expert says North Carolinians face a very low risk of contracting the disease.

FULL STORY: Hantavirus, connected to cruise ship, has killed 3. Is NC at risk?

Here are key takeaways:

• The MV Hondius cruise ship, which carries 147 passengers and crew, had three people medically evacuated. The first two deaths were a couple who had traveled to South America, including Argentina, before boarding.
• Hantavirus is primarily spread by inhaling mouse feces and urine. The Andes virus, common in South America, is one form that can spread between humans.
• “I’d say for people in North Carolina, the risk is very low,” said David Weber, director of UNC Medical Center’s Department of Infection Prevention. The risk is higher for people traveling elsewhere.
• Only one case has ever been reported in North Carolina — a diabetic woman in Jackson County who contracted and survived the disease in 1995.
• The U.S. form, called Sin Nombre virus, is primarily found in deer mice in the Southwest. It has a mortality rate of about 35%, while the Andes virus has a 36% mortality rate.
• Symptoms appear one to eight weeks after contact with an infected rodent. Patients may later develop coughing, shortness of breath and chest tightness from fluid building in the lungs, according to the CDC.
• There is no specific treatment for hantavirus, but intensive ICU care — including ECMO, which oxygenates blood outside the body — can help patients in severe respiratory distress.

This report was produced with the assistance of a proprietary tool powered by artificial intelligence and using our own originally reported, written and published content. It was reviewed and edited by our journalists.

Eva Flowe

The Charlotte Observer

Eva Flowe is a North Carolina native and a graduate of the University of South Carolina. She joined the Charlotte Observer as part of the NC service journalism team in April 2026.