PUBLIC ADVISORY # 30 | 11 May 2026.
The Ministry of Health & Medical Services, continues to monitor the outbreak of Hantavirus on the Hondius cruise ship now anchored off Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands.
The Fiji Centre for Disease Control (FCDC) at the Ministry understands that eight (8) cases have been identified, with three (3) deaths and they will continue to monitor the situation.
No cases have been reported to date in Fiji, and none of the cruise ship passengers are from Fiji.
The risk to Fiji from this cruise ship outbreak is very low.
As part of standard protocols, in-line with international requirements, all ships at international ports of entry in Fiji are subject to strict health declaration and inspection requirements, before clearance for entry in order to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
These include the production of Ship Sanitation Certificates (which include information on de-ratting) and Maritime Declaration of Health identifying sick passengers on board.
These standard protocols for ships at ports of entry include the boarding of vessels for inspection by Environmental Health Officers of the Ministry of Health and Medical Services and escalation in line with contingency plans as needed.
The Ministry also has in place surveillance systems for the reporting of infectious diseases, and protocols at international ports of entry for the isolation and treatment of sick passengers, including through our Border Health Protection Unit in Nadi as needed.
Hantavirus is a rare and serious disease transmitted to humans through exposure to the urine, faeces and saliva of infected rodents like rats or mice.
It is not easily spread from human to human, however, the Andes strain causing the cruise ship outbreak has been shown to transmit amongst close contacts.
ENDS