Overview
- WHO reported 12 confirmed and one probable case tied to the MV Hondius, including three deaths, and said remaining contacts are due to complete their 42-day monitoring by July 2 after which the outbreak will be considered over if no new cases are found.
- The outbreak involved the Andes strain of hantavirus, a rare virus carried by rodents that can transmit between people in close, prolonged contact and has a roughly 42-day incubation window used to set quarantine periods.
- U.S. health authorities announced on June 24 that the CDC and HHS have wound down their response after all Americans finished 42 days of monitoring with no U.S. infections reported.
- Canada said 34 potentially exposed citizens completed self-isolation and that the single Canadian patient has recovered while France, the Netherlands and other nations have also largely ended active monitoring.
- Scientific follow-up continues with plans to share virus samples via the WHO BioHub and CDC field teams reporting preliminary negative rodent tests in Argentina, and U.S. quarantine orders remain contested in appeals and public criticism.