The vast majority of hantaviruses (Sin Nombre in the US, Puumala and Dobrava in Europe, Hantaan in Asia) do not transmit between people. Infection requires direct exposure to infected rodent excreta.
The exception is the Andes orthohantavirus, found in Argentina and Chile. Person-to-person transmission has been documented in clusters since the late 1990s, including hospital and household contacts.
MV Hondius 2026: WHO is investigating whether human-to-human transmission occurred aboard the cruise ship. As of the latest WHO DON, sustained human-to-human spread has not been confirmed.
What the evidence shows
Cases identified as Andes-virus person-to-person spread typically involve close, prolonged contact during the prodromal or early cardiopulmonary phase. Standard droplet and airborne precautions in healthcare settings are recommended.