Hantavirus outbreak on cruise ship and status of vaccine research

A recent hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius, which departed from Argentina, resulted in at least three deaths before the ship arrived at the Canary Islands on May 10. The World Health Organization is monitoring the situation but reports no indications of a wider epidemic. Concurrently, vaccine development is underway at two primary institutions. Moderna is collaborating with the Vaccine Innovation Center at Korea University on an mRNA-based vaccine candidate, which showed protective effects in mice by February 2025. Separately, researchers at the University of Bath in the UK are working on a new vaccine that has shown positive immune responses in preclinical trials. Experts, including virologist Jay Cooper, state that progress remains slow due to significant funding challenges and the long regulatory approval process. There is currently no approved vaccine for humans, leaving populations in Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America vulnerable. Both projects remain in the preclinical stage, with no human trials initiated yet.