A map circulating on social media platforms such as X and TikTok has been used to falsely suggest that the Andes strain of hantavirus is spreading rapidly across Europe and North America. The screenshots, taken from the website HantavirusMap.com, show red and orange markers that users have claimed represent confirmed infections. However, the map's creator and European health authorities have clarified that these markers indicate news coverage and community alerts, not actual cases.
The confusion follows a hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius, which docked in Tenerife after several passengers fell ill. As of late May, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reported 13 cases linked to the ship, including 11 confirmed and 2 probable infections. Spain's Health Ministry confirmed two cases in the country, with one individual in preventive quarantine after close contact with an initial patient. The ministry stressed that the risk to the general population remains unchanged.
How the Map Works
The website HantavirusMap.com aggregates public reports and official updates, not confirmed infections. Its creator, Bas Witkop, told Euronews that he built the tool to track news signals and community alerts. When users hover over Spain, for example, the map shows a red alert with the number 18, which has been misinterpreted as 18 cases. In reality, only two cases have been confirmed in Spain. Witkop has since added clearer disclaimers and stricter classification rules after seeing online users misinterpret the map. The site itself includes a disclaimer stating that the map shows “news signals, not confirmed cases,” alongside a WHO update on the actual number of infections.
Social media posts have added voiceovers claiming the map shows confirmed infections, making the situation appear more alarming than it is. This is part of a broader pattern of health misinformation that often emerges during outbreaks. The World Health Organization has previously warned about the “infodemic” — an overabundance of information that makes it harder for people to find trustworthy guidance on actual health risks.
Hantavirus in Europe: The Real Picture
The Andes hantavirus, which can spread between humans through close and prolonged contact with a symptomatic person, is distinct from most hantaviruses that are transmitted via rodents. The ECDC noted in its 26 May update that additional cases were expected due to the virus's long incubation period, but the risk to the wider EU/EEA population “remains very low.” Health authorities in Spain have taken precautionary measures, including quarantining 12 individuals in Madrid after the second case was confirmed. For more details on the local response, see our report on Tenerife Residents Calm as Hantavirus-Linked Cruise Ship Docks.
The outbreak on the MV Hondius also prompted international responses, including a UK military air-drop of medics to the remote island of Tristan da Cunha, as covered in UK Military Air-Drops Medics to Tristan da Cunha Over Hantavirus Scare. Meanwhile, three individuals were evacuated from the ship in Cape Verde, as reported in Three Evacuated from MV Hondius in Cape Verde Over Suspected Hantavirus.
Misinformation about the map has also been linked to broader discussions about online hate and toxicity in Europe, as explored in Online Hate in Europe: Who Faces the Most Toxicity?. However, the core issue remains the misinterpretation of data. Witkop emphasized that his map was never intended to track infections, and he hopes the updated disclaimers will help prevent further confusion.
As the ECDC continues to monitor the situation, it is crucial for the public to rely on official sources for health information. The actual number of confirmed hantavirus cases in Europe remains low, and the risk to the general population is minimal. The viral map serves as a reminder of how easily data can be misrepresented online, especially during health emergencies.
