The CDC Fired All Its Cruise Ship Inspectors Before the Hantavirus Outbreak

A hantavirus outbreak aboard the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius killed three passengers and sickened others.

The incident renewed scrutiny of CDC staffing cuts that eliminated most of the agency’s cruise-ship inspection team.

Officials said the Vessel Sanitation Program remains staffed, but concerns persist about reduced outbreak-response capacity.

WHO said the event is not expected to become a pandemic, but it underscores the risk of infectious disease spread on ships.