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A hantavirus outbreak aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius in April 2026 has killed three passengers and thrust a long-neglected pathogen into the global spotlight. Despite a case fatality rate exceeding 35 percent for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, no licensed vaccine or antiviral exists outside East Asia, and the most advanced Western candidates remain years from regulatory approval — a gap driven by sporadic outbreaks, minimal commercial incentive, and chronic underfunding that researchers warn the current media cycle is unlikely to permanently fix.