The World Health Organization has declared the deadly hantavirus outbreak linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius over after the final person exposed to the virus completed quarantine and tested negative. The outbreak, which triggered international concern, resulted in 12 confirmed cases and one probable case, including three deaths. No additional infections have been reported since May 25.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the end of the outbreak on Thursday, saying the last contact of an infected person had completed the required quarantine period, tested negative and returned home. Health authorities had identified and monitored more than 650 contacts across 33 countries and territories during the international response.

The Dutch-flagged MV Hondius began its journey on April 1 from Ushuaia in Argentina and travelled through remote islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, including Tristan da Cunha. The ship later headed north towards Tenerife in Spain's Canary Islands, where the remaining passengers were evacuated. The polar exploration vessel eventually docked at Rotterdam harbour in the Netherlands on May 18.

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Although the outbreak has officially ended, health experts are continuing investigations to understand how the virus spread and what lessons can be learned from the episode. The WHO said it would continue studying both the outbreak and the virus. A research project involving 21 countries is being coordinated to examine how the disease develops and support future work on diagnostics, treatments and vaccines.

Hantavirus is a rare disease primarily spread by rodents, and there are currently no specific treatments or vaccines available. The outbreak aboard the MV Hondius involved the Andes species of hantavirus, which is particularly significant because it is the only known strain capable of spreading from person to person. This characteristic contributed to concerns about potential international transmission.

The end of the outbreak marks the conclusion of months of quarantine, contact tracing and international health monitoring. However, scientists and public health experts are expected to continue analysing the episode to strengthen preparedness for future outbreaks. The WHO said the research now underway could help improve the global understanding of hantavirus and support the development of better tools to diagnose, treat and prevent the disease.

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