President Trump just responded to the deadly outbreak of a rare virus on a cruise ship.
As we previously reported, three people have died and several others are sick after contracting hantavirus on a Dutch expedition ship that departed from Argentina earlier this month.
In addition, at least two people on land have fallen ill with the virus.
And, nearly two dozen passengers unknowingly exposed to the virus while aboard the cruise ship have already returned home to all parts of the world.
Here’s our previous report on that:
23 Hantavirus Cruise Passengers Returned to Home Countries Worldwide, With One Already Sick
Understandably, this is bringing back COVID memories for a lot of people, with some worried about another pandemic situation.
But, President Trump says he does not believe that to be the case.
He confirmed that he has been briefed on the situation and that it's hopefully "under control."
Watch what he had to say for yourself:
🚨 JUST IN: President Trump says he has been BRIEFED on the hantavirus situation, but does NOT believe Americans should be concerned
"We have a lot of great people studying it. It should be fine, we hope."
"It's very much, we hope, under control. We're gonna make a full report… pic.twitter.com/OmyP3ngkS9
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) May 8, 2026
Hantavirus is rare but serious, with up to a 40% fatality rate.
Normally, humans can only get it from rat droppings. But, this particular strain (Andes virus) can be transmitted from human to human.
That said, experts say it is not that contagious because it is not an airborne virus. You can only catch it from getting into contact with an infected person's bodily fluids, which requires very close contact.
Still, authorities are taking precautions to prevent the virus from spreading.
They are monitoring the cruise ship passengers who have already returned home, including those who are now back in the United States.
From Forbes:
- Oceanwide Expeditions, operator of the cruise ship MV Hondius, says at least 29 living passengers from 12 countries disembarked the ship and went home after the death of the first passenger on board (before officials knew of the outbreak). Those countries are Canada, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, Switzerland, Sweden, Singapore, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States.
- Texas health officials have said they are tracking two residents—who are not showing symptoms—who were passengers on the MV Hondius, the cruise ship connected to the cases.
- Health officials in California are monitoring an undisclosed number of residents who were aboard the MV Hondius and have said there is no information that those being monitored are ill or infected, according to The New York Times, which noted Arizona and Georgia health officials are also monitoring a total of three residents who were aboard the ship and are all still in good health.
- Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, director of WHO, says some of those passengers shared an airplane to Johannesburg with a woman from the ship who later died.
- Ghebreyesus says none of the remaining passengers or crew aboard the MV Hondius are symptomatic, but that “it is possible more cases will be reported” because it can be up to six weeks before those infected with the Andes variant of hantavirus show symptoms. He insisted the public health risk remains “low.”
- A Dutch flight attendant who has developed mild symptoms is being tested for the disease after she briefly came into contact with one of the deceased hantavirus patients.
Join the conversation!
Please share your thoughts about this article below. We value your opinions, and would love to see you add to the discussion!