Quick answer
Spain has no locally acquired hantavirus cases. The single confirmed case in Spain is a passenger from the MV Hondius cruise ship who contracted Andes virus during a Patagonian expedition — not in Spain. Tenerife was only the disembarkation port. There is no evidence of local transmission in Spain or the Canary Islands.
Current Status: Hantavirus in Spain
As of 13 May 2026, the verified situation in Spain per ECDC and Spain's Ministry of Health is as follows:
| Indicator | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Confirmed cases in Spain | 1 | MV Hondius cruise passenger |
| Confirmed local transmission | None | Not a locally acquired case |
| Spanish nationals quarantined | 14 | 13 tested negative |
| Tenerife community risk | Very low | ECDC assessment |
| Monitoring period | 42 days | All contacts per WHO/ECDC |
| Status as of 13 May | No new cases | Active monitoring continues |
MV Hondius Outbreak — Spain Timeline
The connection between the MV Hondius outbreak and Spain is summarised in the following verified timeline:
24 Apr – 10 May 2026
MV Hondius completes a Patagonian expedition voyage and arrives at Tenerife port on 10 May.
Source: ECDC
10–11 May 2026
122 people (passengers and crew) identified as contacts disembark in Tenerife and are repatriated to their home countries. Spanish nationals are quarantined at Hospital Gómez Ulla, Madrid.
Source: ECDC / Spain MoH
11 May 2026
Disembarkation of all MV Hondius contacts at Tenerife completed. 42-day monitoring period begins for all contacts per WHO/ECDC protocol.
Source: ECDC
12 May 2026
Spain's Ministry of Health confirms 1 Spanish national — a passenger from the MV Hondius cruise ship — has tested positive for Andes hantavirus. 13 of the 14 Spanish nationals quarantined in Madrid test negative. This is a cruise-ship case, not a case of local transmission in Spain.
Source: Spain Ministry of Health
13 May 2026
ECDC updates: 11 total cases (9 confirmed, 2 probable) and 3 deaths across 23 countries. No new cases reported since 13 May. No confirmed local transmission in Tenerife or anywhere in Spain.
Source: ECDC
Monitoring vs Local Transmission: What Is the Difference?
It is important to distinguish between two concepts that media coverage has sometimes blurred:
🔍 Contact monitoring
- People who were aboard MV Hondius
- Following 42-day WHO/ECDC protocol
- May become cases if symptoms develop
- Does not imply transmission in Spain
- Standard precautionary measure
⚠️ Local transmission
- Person infected without travelling to Patagonia
- Transmission from local rodents in Spain
- Would require Iberian rodents to carry the virus
- Not confirmed in Spain or Tenerife
- No evidence this is occurring
Risk Assessment for Spain
Major public health agencies agree that the risk to the Spanish public is very low:
- ECDC: Risk to the general EU/EEA population is very low. No community transmission detected.
- WHO: WHO's Director-General communicated directly to Tenerife residents that hantavirus is "not another COVID." Epidemic risk is low.
- Spain Ministry of Health: Active monitoring of national contacts. No locally acquired cases in Spain.
Andes hantavirus is ecologically restricted to rodent reservoirs in southern South America. Iberian rodents (field mice, house mice) are not carriers of Andes virus. For local transmission to occur in Spain, those rodents would need to be infected — which has not happened.
Hantavirus in Spain — Frequently Asked Questions
Does Spain have hantavirus cases in 2026?
Yes — Spain has 1 confirmed hantavirus case in 2026. The case is a Spanish national who was a passenger on the expedition cruise ship MV Hondius. This person tested positive for Andes hantavirus after arriving in Spain following the cruise. This is not a case of locally acquired hantavirus infection in Spain. Thirteen other Spanish nationals quarantined in Madrid tested negative.
Is there hantavirus in Tenerife?
Tenerife served as the disembarkation port for the MV Hondius on 10–11 May 2026. No confirmed local transmission of hantavirus has been detected in Tenerife or anywhere in Spain. The MV Hondius cases are linked to the Patagonian voyage, not to exposure in Tenerife or the Canary Islands. ECDC and WHO confirm the community risk in Tenerife is very low.
How many hantavirus cases are there in Spain?
As of 13 May 2026: 1 confirmed case in Spain. This is a cruise ship passenger case, not a case of local transmission. Fourteen Spanish nationals were quarantined at Hospital Gómez Ulla, Madrid; 13 tested negative and 1 tested positive.
Can hantavirus spread from the Spain case to others?
The general public risk in Spain is very low. The confirmed Spanish case is under medical management. Close contacts of the case are under 42-day monitoring per WHO/ECDC protocol. Andes hantavirus has the potential for person-to-person transmission, but this is uncommon and typically limited to very close contact. No onward transmission from the Spanish case has been reported.
Was the MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak connected to Spain?
The MV Hondius is an expedition cruise ship that conducted a Patagonian voyage (Argentina/Chile) before docking at Tenerife on 10 May 2026. Tenerife was the disembarkation point — all 122 close contacts were processed and repatriated from there. The hantavirus cases were acquired during the Patagonian expedition, not in Spain. One Spanish passenger later tested positive after repatriation.
Should I be worried about hantavirus if I visited Tenerife?
No. There is no evidence of hantavirus transmission in Tenerife or mainland Spain. Hantavirus in the Canary Islands or Spain would require contact with infected Patagonian rodent reservoirs — the European rodent species present in Spain do not carry Andes virus. ECDC, WHO and Spain's Ministry of Health have confirmed the community risk in Spain is very low.
Medical disclaimer: This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Data reflects verified information from official public health agencies (ECDC, WHO, Spain Ministry of Health) as of 13 May 2026. For symptoms or health concerns, consult your doctor or contact your regional health authority.