Florida health experts say hantavirus risk remains low amid cruise outbreak
By Meghan Moriarty
Published on May 7, 2026.
Florida health experts have warned that the risk of hantavirus on cruise ships remains low. Six Americans were on board the cruise ship from Arizona, California, and Texas, but none of them are from Florida. The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that the close contact among passengers allows viruses to spread. The cruise line Oceanwide Expeditions is monitoring the medical situation on its ship as it heads to the Canary Islands. Health experts are working on contact tracing and informing the public that this is not an act of desperation. The CDC has reported fewer than 900 cases of the virus reported in the US since the 1990s.
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