Chinese Internet Celebrity Boarded Hantavirus Outbreak Cruise Ship, Officials Say No Related Symptoms
A Chinese internet celebrity, Chen Yong, known as 'Mike Chen Meng,' was found to have boarded the MV Hondius cruise ship where a hantavirus outbreak occurred. The Yibin Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced that Chen has been asymptomatic for 39 days since disembarking and had no 'spatiotemporal intersection' with the first confirmed case.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 9, 2026 at 21:30
- 🔍 Collected: May 9, 2026 at 22:01 (31 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 9, 2026 at 22:04 (2 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency, Taipei, May 9th) Following a hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship, it was recently reported that Chen Yong, an explorer internet celebrity from Yibin City, Sichuan, China, had boarded the cruise ship to Antarctica and disembarked on March 31st. The Yibin Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced today that Chen has been asymptomatic for 39 days since disembarking; the first confirmed case on the cruise ship boarded on April 1st, indicating no 'spatiotemporal intersection' with Chen.
The hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship has attracted global attention. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported today a cumulative total of 6 confirmed cases, with 3 deaths, and 2 suspected cases.
Chinese officials previously stated that there were no Chinese citizens on the MV Hondius, and the Andes virus involved in the cruise ship's outbreak has no natural hosts distributed in China, nor have any human infection cases been reported.
However, Chen Yong, 52, a well-known explorer with the online name 'Mike Chen Meng,' revealed in an exclusive interview with Chengdu media Red Star News on May 7th that he boarded the MV Hondius in Ushuaia, Argentina, on March 20th, heading to Antarctica, and returned to Ushuaia and disembarked on March 31st. He has been off the cruise ship for 37 days and has not experienced any physical discomfort during this period.
The news sparked discussion on Chinese social media. It was rumored that Chen Yong recently voluntarily reported his situation to the Yibin CDC, which reportedly caused officials to break out in a cold sweat.
CCTV News reported in the evening that on May 9th, the Yibin City Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Sichuan Province issued a notice regarding the online rumors about a local resident's involvement with the MV Hondius cruise ship.
The notice stated that upon verification, Chen, a resident of Yibin, disembarked on March 31st, while the first confirmed case on the cruise ship boarded on April 1st, indicating no spatiotemporal intersection between the two. Chen has been asymptomatic for 39 days since disembarking. The Yibin CDC collected samples from Chen and his family members, and all hantavirus nucleic acid test results were negative.
The notice also stated that after expert assessment, Chen has no risk of infection and no risk of community transmission. (Editors: Yang Shen-ju / Tang Sheng-yang) 1150509
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency 'First-hand News' APP to get the latest news instantly.
Text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.
(Central News Agency, Taipei, May 9th) Following a hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship, it was recently reported that Chen Yong, an explorer internet celebrity from Yibin City, Sichuan, China, had boarded the cruise ship to Antarctica and disembarked on March 31st. The Yibin Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced today that Chen has been asymptomatic for 39 days since disembarking; the first confirmed case on the cruise ship boarded on April 1st, indicating no 'spatiotemporal intersection' with Chen.
The hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship has attracted global attention. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported today a cumulative total of 6 confirmed cases, with 3 deaths, and 2 suspected cases.
Chinese officials previously stated that there were no Chinese citizens on the MV Hondius, and the Andes virus involved in the cruise ship's outbreak has no natural hosts distributed in China, nor have any human infection cases been reported.
However, Chen Yong, 52, a well-known explorer with the online name 'Mike Chen Meng,' revealed in an exclusive interview with Chengdu media Red Star News on May 7th that he boarded the MV Hondius in Ushuaia, Argentina, on March 20th, heading to Antarctica, and returned to Ushuaia and disembarked on March 31st. He has been off the cruise ship for 37 days and has not experienced any physical discomfort during this period.
The news sparked discussion on Chinese social media. It was rumored that Chen Yong recently voluntarily reported his situation to the Yibin CDC, which reportedly caused officials to break out in a cold sweat.
CCTV News reported in the evening that on May 9th, the Yibin City Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Sichuan Province issued a notice regarding the online rumors about a local resident's involvement with the MV Hondius cruise ship.
The notice stated that upon verification, Chen, a resident of Yibin, disembarked on March 31st, while the first confirmed case on the cruise ship boarded on April 1st, indicating no spatiotemporal intersection between the two. Chen has been asymptomatic for 39 days since disembarking. The Yibin CDC collected samples from Chen and his family members, and all hantavirus nucleic acid test results were negative.
The notice also stated that after expert assessment, Chen has no risk of infection and no risk of community transmission. (Editors: Yang Shen-ju / Tang Sheng-yang) 1150509
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency 'First-hand News' APP to get the latest news instantly.
Text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.