On Friday May 8 2026, the WP11 network of Durable held its latest meeting, bringing together experts from across Europe to discuss emerging zoonotic challenges, surveillance strategies, and recent research findings. A major focus of the meeting was the ongoing hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship, alongside two scientific presentations on viral surveillance and genomic characterization of zoonotic infections.

The meeting opened with an update from Marion Koopmans on the current hantavirus outbreak associated with a cruise ship that had passengers disembarking across multiple countries. The situation: while hantavirus is considered a severe but not highly transmissible disease, the international spread of passengers and the long incubation period make outbreak investigation challenging. Current evidence suggests limited secondary transmission, but no indication of a large-scale epidemic. Johan Neyts added insights on potential antiviral options, noting that while some compounds may show some activity, there is currently no “magic bullet.” Combination therapies and further research remain important. 

The first scientific presentation was delivered by Nathalie Worp from The Department of Viroscience of the Erasmus MC, The Netherlands, who presented her work on the worldwide diversity of hepatitis A & E viruses found in urban wastewater. In 2016, the Global Sewage Surveillance Project was initiated with the aim to explore the potential of metagenomic sequencing for monitoring viruses. Using capture-based metagenomic sequencing of wastewater samples from 62 cities across 48 countries, she demonstrated how wastewater surveillance can reveal both expected and unexpected patterns of virus circulation beyond what is visible through clinical surveillance alone. Her work highlights the value of wastewater-based surveillance for identifying zoonotic transmission pathways and improving early detection of emerging viral threats. 

The second presentation was given by Daniel Sobral from INSA, Portugal, who shared preliminary findings on the genomic characterization of an ORF virus infection in Portugal. The study highlighted the likely underrecognition of occupational zoonotic infections such as ORF virus and underscores the need for stronger collaboration between human and veterinary health sectors. 

The session concluded with a call for continued vigilance regarding hantavirus developments and a reminder for partners to share ideas for future presentations. The meeting once again demonstrated the strength of the DURABLE network in connecting expertise across disciplines and countries to better understand and respond to emerging infectious disease threats.