The Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance (MSPAS) reported this Friday, May 8, that it maintains surveillance and technical monitoring of hantavirus cases detected on an international cruise ship on which a Guatemalan citizen is traveling, although it assured that there is currently no risk or infections reported in Guatemala.
The Health Ministry indicated that the event remains under investigation and management by international health authorities, while epidemiological surveillance and technical coordination actions are carried out in the country.
According to the official statement, there is no health alert for Guatemala and the authorities asked the population to obtain information only through official channels and to avoid spreading alarmist or false publications.
Hantavirus is a rare disease, but it can cause serious complications. It is transmitted by inhalation of virus particles, by breathing air contaminated with dust from urine, feces or saliva of infected rodents; by touching live or dead infected rodents, or their excrement or urine, and then putting your hands in your mouth, nose or eyes, or by direct bites from the animals.
Although most of its variants do not contemplate human-to-human transmission, concern over the latest cases has led to extreme precautions.
The MV Hondius cruise ship, which departed from Ushuaia, in Argentina, to Cape Verde and whose final destination is the Canary Islands, had 150 people on board, 14 of them Spanish and one of the crew members is Guatemalan.
The WHO has reported at least three deaths and several illnesses, around seven confirmed and suspected cases, linked to the ship.
The Spanish authorities plan to allow the ship to arrive in Tenerife to proceed with the evacuation and repatriation of passengers after carrying out the relevant controls.
#MSPASCommunication | The Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance reports: pic.twitter.com/JtzLTtwKqc
— Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance (@MinSaludGuate) May 8, 2026
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