Hantavirus infects the endothelial cells lining the small blood vessels of the lungs, causing capillary leak and pulmonary edema — fluid accumulation in the airspaces that produces the classic cardiopulmonary phase of HPS.
Hantavirus infects the endothelial cells lining the small blood vessels of the lungs, causing capillary leak and pulmonary edema — fluid accumulation in the airspaces that produces the classic cardiopulmonary phase of HPS.
Without supportive care, this leads to acute respiratory distress syndrome and cardiogenic shock. Treatment is supportive — oxygen, fluid management, mechanical ventilation, sometimes ECMO.
This answer is based on WHO Disease Outbreak News (DON599, DON600), the CDC's hantavirus clinical overview, ECDC technical assessments, and peer-reviewed Andes virus literature including the Epuyén cluster studies.
For the live 2026 outbreak picture, see the MV Hondius tracker.
→ See the live MV Hondius tracker, full timeline, and 15 hantavirus news sourcesIt applies to both the current cluster and the broader hantavirus epidemiology. The MV Hondius cluster involves the Andes virus strain, which is the only hantavirus capable of person-to-person transmission.
WHO's Disease Outbreak News DON600 (May 8) and the Director-General's May 9 message to the people of Tenerife are the most up-to-date official sources. Hanta Hub aggregates these on the main tracker.
Hanta Hub refreshes the outbreak data and source list daily during the active MV Hondius cluster, with a scheduled automated update each morning.