In 2024, over 300 vials disappeared from an Australian laboratory, including two containing hantavirus, nearly 100 with Hendra virus, and 223 with lyssavirus.

Initially, the missing vials were thought to have been misplaced during a transfer to a new freezer. However, a subsequent investigation by the Ministry of Health suggested that they were likely destroyed rather than stolen or lost.

Concerns arose regarding the whereabouts of the viruses after an outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship, where three individuals succumbed to the illness – a Dutch couple and a German woman. Several affected passengers, including British ex-policeman Martin Anstee, were transferred for specialized treatment.

Samples from the MV Hondius tested positive for the Andes strain of hantavirus, the only known type capable of person-to-person transmission. The World Health Organization (WHO) addressed fears of a new pandemic but clarified that this virus is distinct from COVID-19 and spreads differently.

Most hantavirus strains do not spread among humans. The WHO emphasized the implementation of preventive measures to contain further transmission and efforts to prevent the situation from escalating.