Postscript to the Hantavirus Outbreak
Summary from Philip Kendall and Kelly Green
The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced on the 2nd July 2026 that the worldwide outbreak of the Andes hantavirus arising from the MV Hondius had ended, as all identified contacts had completed the WHO recommended 42 day isolation periods under the supervision of their respective national health authorities. The civilian medical team sent to help Tristan from the Falkland Islands departed on the MFV Edinburgh on the 3rd July, thus enabling Tristan to finally draw a line under the outbreak.
UK-MED, Iqarus and Falkland Island medics head out to the Edinburgh at the end of their mission. Photo: Philip Kendall
The current consensus is that the initial infection was acquired by two passengers on land in South America, before they embarked the MV Hondius. Although the first fatality occurred, before the ship visited Tristan, there was no undue cause concern until further cases emerged and two more people died shortly after her call at St Helena. The virus was then identified and measures quickly put in place to stop the spread of infection. Unfortunately, there had been an exchange of island passengers at Tristan, and a number of the cruise passengers had disembarked at St Helena for onward travel. Add the international make-up of the passenger list, this turned this a worldwide issue.
Fortunately, the WHO-recommended action plan successfully contained the outbreak. In total, there were 13 cases, including one Tristanian. However, there were also 317 high risk contacts who were kept in isolation for 42 days and 336 lower risk contacts, some of whom needed to self isolate. These were spread across 33 countries, with one person having travelled as far away as Pitcairn Island.
The response of the UK Government and British Armed Forces to Tristan's call for medical help, including the historic airdrop has already been reported on this website and elsewhere. The island will be eternally grateful.
The reaction of Hondius passengers to their predicament seems generally to have been positive. They have mostly been happy with the way the MV Hondius and their home countries handled things once the nature of the outbreak had been identified, given that the Andes virus was effectively a new disease. Several passengers have said that they would travel on the Hondius again.
With the departure of the medics on the MFV Edinburgh, Tristan is back where it was before the outbreak, and we are looking forward the next cruise season, which is scheduled to start with a visit the SH Diana in October. The Hondius has been deep cleaned, and we are confident that all the cruise companies will have learned from this episode. Expedition cruises were already very careful with biosecurity, and we are sure will have extra precautions in place to avoid a recurrence of further outbreaks.
The medical sitting on the raft waiting to leave Calshot Harbour. Photo: Philip Kendall
PPS
Elsewhere, we have reported on the storm that hit Tristan on the 7th July 2026, which caused a significant amount of damage. We are confident that this will not affect the forthcoming cruise season. There was no damage to the harbour, and there was only slight damage to the Post Office and Tourism Centre, the Albatross Bar and other attractions. This will all have been fixed long before the cruise ships are due.
End of Hantavirus celebration party
Report and photos from Administrator Philip Kendall.
Last night - Saturday 20th June 2026 - Louise and I hosted a community party celebrating the end of the hantavirus crisis on Tristan.
The evening began with a sobering speech by me, which was quite emotional to give. (See text below). I hadn’t realised how much emotion had built up over the last couple of months until my voice cracked in the opening paragraph. The community has really pulled together through this difficult period and Saturday night was a chance to let off steam and enjoy ourselves.
Philip Kendall giving his speech of appreciation to everyone's role in containing the hantavirus outbreak.
Photo: Louise Kendall
Philip Kendall's Speech
"Today is a moment to celebrate. We have come through a difficult time, and we can finally begin to look ahead with confidence and hope.
But before we do, it is right that we pause.
Hantavirus was a serious and dangerous disease. It took three lives from the Hondius, and it came very close to claiming one of our own. We remember those we lost, and we hold their families and friends in our thoughts today.
What we have come through was not easy. But we did come through it — and that is thanks to an extraordinary collective effort.
Our medical team showed exceptional skill, resilience and commitment in the face of a completely new challenge. They were supported by the Army, the Navy and the Air Force, and more recently by medics who are here tonight from the UK and the Falklands. Together, they brought expertise, calm judgement and determination when it mattered most.
But this was not just about professional response — it was about community.
Once again, Tristan showed its strength.
From the RIB crews, waiting to catch parachutes or to take people off HMS Medway as it refused to stay still… to those who headed out in the fading light to recover equipment from the patches… to the hosts who opened their homes at short notice… to all those who isolated to protect us all, and to every single person across the island who played their part.
Everyone contributed. Everyone made a difference.
That is what carried us through.
So today, we celebrate not just the end of Hantavirus on Tristan, but the spirit of this community — its resilience, its generosity, and its quiet determination.
Thank you all!"
The Dancing
The visiting medics delighted us all with a Ceilidh giving some of the younger islanders their first taste of Scottish dancing. We returned the favour with the Pillow Dance and the Chair Dance,* and then all kinds of dancing into the early hours.
"Strip the Willow" ceilidh dance. Half the fun is getting is wrong...
...The other half is getting it right! Video & photo: Odile Cesari
The perennially popular Pillow Dance
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| The Chair Dance.* Cynthia waiting to be brought a new partner. Will she or won't she accept him? | A quick dance around before the next change of partner in the Chair Dance. |
Vera brings Anne to be Jack's next potential partner in the Chair Dance. Everyone's wondering what he'll do.
The dancing continued into the wee small hours.
Although we will never be able to forget the events of the last couple of months, last night drew a line enabling us to get back to our daily Tristan lives.
* About the Chair Dance
In Tristan's traditional Chair Dance, a chair is placed in the middle of the hall and the first couple dances round. One partner is sat in the chair while the other partner finds them someone new to dance with. If the seated dancer likes the new partner, they will get and dance round, and then the new partner takes their place on the chair. However, if the seated dancer doesn't like the offered new partner, they will pick up the chair to face the other way. The new partner may have another try, but they may have to give up and let another person be brought on. The fun is in guessing what will happen.
End of Hantavirus on Tristan da Cunha
Report and photograph from Tristan Administrator Philip Kendall
Wednesday 17th June 2026 was a big day for Tristan. Following precautions to prevent the community contracting Hantavirus, our final isolated group of people, the medical team, were given their freedom.
Administrator Philip Kendall with UK-MED, Iqarus and Falkland Island medics,
Dr Alex Wonner and his team outside Camogli Healthcare Centre on 17th June 2026.
Left to right are, Jordan Mettner (Falklands), Trisha McCready (UK-MED), Ross Moy (Iqarus),
Paul Anderson (UK-MED), Philip Kendall, Spurs Henry (Falklands), Claire Vincent (UK-MED),
Head of Camogli Healthcare Centre Vera Glass, Carol Swain, Dr Alex Wonner, Dr Silvio Morales, Anél De Waal.
It's hard to describe the feeling of relief for all concerned. Today I went to the Healthcare Centre to greet the doctors and to join the handover from the UK-MED, Iqarus and Falkland Island medics, back to Dr Alex and his team. Hantavirus is officially behind us!
The visiting medics plan to return to Cape Town aboard MFV Edinburgh in early July.
We are planning a big community event in the Prince Philip Hall on Saturday 20th June to thank the visiting medics and everyone for helping us get through this terrible situation.
Joy as Tristanians arrive in Weymouth |
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| The four Tristan islanders who were potentially exposed to Hantavirus on the MV Hondius have completed their isolation period in the UK. 7-Jun-2026 |
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Hantavirus Isolation Update, 3rd June 2026 |
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| A public notice issued on the 3rd June 2026 details the isolation periods for people who were exposed to hantavirus cases. 6-Jun-2026 |
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Paratroopers' activities on Tristan while awaiting extraction |
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| The paratroopers dropped onto Tristan on the 9th May 2026 took part in community activities while waiting for HMS Medway to come and pick them up. 28-May-2026 |
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HMS Medway Departs after Successfully Exchanging Personnel |
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| Conditions improved enough on the 24th May 2026 for HMS Medway to embark returning paratroopers and disembark relief medics. 24-May-2026 |
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Hantavirus - The Next Steps, 23rd May 2026 |
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| HMS Medway arrived on the 22nd May 2026 to replace the military personnel who arrived by parachute on the 9th May with a civilian team. 23-May-2026 |
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Details of the Daring Airdrop at Tristan da Cunha, 9th May 2026 |
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| More details and pictures have come in of the intrepid airdrop of urgent medical support sent to Tristan by the UK Government on the 9th May 2026. 12-May-2026 |
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- First Ever Emergency Airdrop onto Tristan (9-May-2026) >>
- Public Notices Regarding the MV Hondius Hantavirus, 6th May 2026 (7-May-2026) >>
- Suspected Hantavirus on the Cruise Ship MV Hondius (4-May-2026) >>
- Special Visit by the SA Agulhas II (23-Feb-2026) >>
- Retirement of Teresa Green (30-Oct-2025) >>
- Anatomy of a Maritime Medical Emergency (14-Jan-2025) >>