Hantavirus outbreak guidance for employers

At present (15th May 2026), there is limited workplace-specific guidance from health and safety regulators regarding the recent hantavirus outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship. Most advice is currently coming from public health organisations including the WHO, CDC, UKHSA and ECDC.

Based on the information available so far, this should primarily be treated as a travel health and infectious disease monitoring issue rather than a wider workplace transmission concern.

The outbreak involves the Andes strain of hantavirus, which differs from many other hantaviruses because limited person-to-person transmission has been recorded in close-contact situations. However, health authorities continue to advise that the overall risk to the public remains low, and there is currently no evidence of sustained widespread transmission.

For organisations with employees who travel internationally, a sensible and proportionate precautionary approach is recommended.

Recommended employer actions

At this stage, organisations may wish to consider:

Monitoring updates from the WHO, CDC, UKHSA, ECDC and local public health authorities
Reviewing business travel risk management procedures, particularly for travel to affected areas or where exposure notifications have been issued
Ensuring employees understand reporting procedures if they become unwell after international travel
Reinforcing general hygiene practices, illness reporting and workplace cleaning arrangements
Reviewing cleaning contractor arrangements and escalation procedures for biological contamination concerns
Ensuring facilities teams understand safe cleaning methods if rodent contamination is identified

Travel considerations

For organisations with international travellers, reasonable precautions could include:

Asking employees to notify the organisation if they have travelled on affected routes or vessels identified by public health authorities
Advising employees returning from affected areas to monitor for symptoms in line with public health guidance
Encouraging employees who feel unwell after travel to avoid attending the workplace and seek medical advice
Reviewing whether any non-essential travel requires additional temporary risk assessment

At present, blanket travel bans or wider workplace restrictions would generally be considered disproportionate unless specifically advised by public health authorities.

Tracking and monitoring

Routine employee medical surveillance is not currently expected in standard office environments. However, organisations should have clear internal escalation procedures for:

Travel-related health concerns
Notifications from public health authorities
Employees reporting symptoms following relevant travel exposure
Significant sanitation or contamination concerns within workplace environments

Sanitation and cleaning standards

No enhanced “pandemic-level” sanitation measures have currently been mandated in relation to this outbreak. Organisations should continue to maintain appropriate hygiene and cleaning standards, including:

Routine cleaning of workplace surfaces
Safe waste management
Prompt management of pest or rodent concerns
Appropriate cleaning procedures for biological contamination

Importantly, rodent droppings or contaminated nesting materials should not be dry swept or vacuumed, as this can release contaminated particles into the air.

Staff communication

Any internal communications should remain factual, proportionate and aligned with public health guidance. Communications should avoid:

Creating unnecessary alarm
Speculation around transmission risks
Statements that contradict official guidance

Instead, messaging should focus on:

Awareness
Hygiene practices
Reporting procedures
Travel-related precautions
Reassurance that the overall public risk remains low

Legal responsibilities

Employers continue to have a duty to provide a safe working environment. For most office-based organisations, this would typically include:

Monitoring credible public health guidance
Taking proportionate preventive measures
Completing suitable travel or occupational risk assessments where relevant
Providing employees with appropriate information and instruction

At present, there does not appear to be any requirement for extraordinary workplace controls beyond sensible hygiene measures, travel management and illness reporting procedures unless specific exposure situations arise.