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Outbreak: The OGSS is monitoring the outbreak of a hantavirus which originated on a small cruise ship that departed Ushuaia, Argentina on April 1, 2026. Due to the outbreak, the ship docked in Tenerife, Spain on May 10 and shortly thereafter, all passengers were assessed and transferred to various points of care based on nationality and symptoms. To date, three passengers have died and others are reported to be infected.

Disease Details: Hantaviruses are carried by rodents and can cause severe disease in humans, but transmission is usually limited to people who have close contact with someone who is ill. Symptoms can begin between one and eight weeks after exposure and include fever, headache, and muscle aches as well as abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting.

Public Health Concerns: Public health officials insist that the threat to the public—in the U.S. and abroad—is low. Students, faculty and staff planning international travel for the summer are advised to stay informed, but there is no need to cancel or alter travel plans.

Resources:

World Health Organization (WHO): homepage and overview

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

CNN:

Because of ongoing events in the Middle East and Gulf nations, Crisis24—²ÝÝ®´«Ã½’s evacuation assistance provider—has suspended coverage for these countries until further notice: Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Israel and Palestine, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Yemen. Community members (students, staff and faculty) are advised to postpone travel until this suspension is lifted. Crisis24 will continue to review and assess all essential travel requests as they are received.  

Students and employees returning to their home country for university or personal reasons are not eligible for evacuation services, and coverage suspensions do not apply during such travel.  

As of March 23, 2026, Hong Kong has updated how its National Security Law is enforced, giving authorities broader powers over personal electronic devices. It is now a criminal offense to refuse to give the Hong Kong police passwords or decryption assistance to access all personal electronic devices, including cell phones and laptops. These rules apply to everyone, including U.S. citizens, and even travelers passing through Hong Kong International Airport. For more information, refer to this  posted by the U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong & Macau. 

  
+852 2841-2211 
+852 2523-9011 (after hours) 
ACSHK@state.gov 

As of March 2, travel to the Middle East and Gulf Nations should be postponed until further notice due to widespread unrest and airport closures. Additionally, given the ongoing uncertainty and rapidly evolving conditions, Crisis24—²ÝÝ®´«Ã½’s security assistance provider—has indicated that any upcoming travel to the region will not be eligible for coverage under the PEND (Political and Natural Disaster Evacuation) service until stability is restored. ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½ is in touch with the small number of students in the affected region and is providing services and support.