ASEAN Biological Threats Surveillance Centre (ABVC) Disease Alert No. 16 on Human Avian Influenza (H9N2) in Hong Kong (SAR)

Since May 2, 2026, the WHO has monitored a hantavirus cluster involving 147 individuals aboard a cruise ship currently moored off Cape Verde. As of May 7, eight cases have been reported, including three fatalities. Laboratory results confirm that five cases are caused by the Andes virus, a specific hantavirus strain capable of limited person-to-person transmission through close, prolonged contact. International health teams are currently on-site conducting medical evaluations and managing disembarkation protocols. The vessel departed Ushuaia on April 1, 2026, and made multiple stops across South Atlantic islands before reaching Cape Verde.