The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially declared the hantavirus outbreak linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius over after the last known exposed individual completed quarantine, tested negative for the virus, and returned home without developing the disease.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the development, saying surveillance efforts had been completed successfully and no further infections had been detected since late May.
"Today, the final contact of a person exposed to #hantavirus on the cruise ship MV Hondius completed their quarantine period, tested negative and returned home," Tedros said.
"No further cases have been reported since the 25th of May. Therefore, WHO considers the hantavirus outbreak over."
The declaration follows weeks of monitoring and public health interventions aimed at preventing any further spread of the virus among individuals linked to the voyage.
According to WHO, no additional cases have been reported since May 25, paving the way for the outbreak to be formally closed under international public health guidelines.
The announcement marks the successful conclusion of measures put in place to contain the outbreak and ensure that all people who may have been exposed were properly monitored.
As part of the response, health authorities tracked and observed close contacts of infected individuals throughout the incubation period to determine whether any new infections would emerge.
The outbreak triggered a coordinated response involving WHO, national health authorities and the cruise operator. The effort focused on identifying, tracing and managing people who may have come into contact with the virus while aboard the MV Hondius.
Response measures included contact tracing, health monitoring, testing where necessary and quarantine for individuals considered at risk of infection.
Hantaviruses are mainly carried by rodents and are usually transmitted to humans through contact with infected rodents or exposure to their urine, droppings or saliva.
People can become infected by breathing in virus particles that are released into the air when contaminated materials are disturbed. In some cases, infection may also occur through rodent bites or after touching contaminated surfaces and then touching the eyes, nose or mouth.
Human-to-human transmission is extremely uncommon and has only been documented in limited cases involving specific strains of the virus, particularly the Andes virus found in parts of South America.
Most hantavirus infections around the world occur through environmental exposure rather than direct spread between people.
Depending on the strain involved, the virus can cause serious illnesses such as hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), both of which can be severe and require urgent medical attention.
WHO said its decision to declare the outbreak over means there is no evidence of continued transmission linked to the cruise ship.
The organisation noted that the outcome highlights the value of rapid case detection, contact tracing, quarantine measures and cooperation between health agencies in containing disease outbreaks and reducing the risk of wider spread.
Even with the outbreak now closed, health experts continue to stress the need for vigilance against rodent-borne diseases, especially in areas where people may come into contact with rodents or their habitats.
They also emphasise that early detection of symptoms, prompt diagnosis and strong disease surveillance systems remain critical in preventing future outbreaks.