American oncologist who became cruise ship’s de-facto head doctor amid hantavirus outbreak speaks to ABC News – ABC News – Breaking News, Latest News and Videos

An outbreak of hantavirus aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius has led to multiple fatalities and the emergency appointment of a passenger physician to lead the vessel’s medical response.

Dr. Stephen Kornfeld, an oncologist from Bend, Oregon, assumed the role of de facto head doctor on the ship after the onboard physician contracted the virus. Dr. Kornfeld, who was traveling on the cruise for bird watching, stepped in to manage the medical crisis as the health status of passengers and crew deteriorated.

The situation intensified rapidly once Dr. Kornfeld began coordinating the response. Regarding the timeline of the crisis, Dr. Kornfeld told ABC News, It just kind of escalated to within 24 hours after I stepped in, adding that One of the patients died and the other two, the physician and one of the other staff members, were getting progressively sicker and then the first news of hantavirus came out.

A total of six individuals onboard the MV Hondius have tested positive for the hantavirus. The casualties include a Dutch woman, who died on April 26, 2026, in South Africa, and a German woman, who died on May 2, 2026. One passenger died onboard the ship with a probable case of the virus.

The remaining individuals who tested positive are currently receiving care or are in isolation across multiple countries:

• The ship’s doctor and a ship’s guide are under isolation in the Netherlands.
• A British man is hospitalized in South Africa.
• A Swiss man is hospitalized in Switzerland.

As of Saturday, May 9, 2026, none of the 17 Americans onboard the vessel have tested positive for the virus.

The MV Hondius is scheduled to arrive at the Canary Islands on the morning of Sunday, May 10, 2026. Upon arrival, passengers will disembark the ship to be flown back to their respective home countries.