Al Roker Says CDC Requested Voluntary Testing After Europe Trip Amid Hantavirus Concerns

Today show co-host Al Roker said travelers returning from Europe were asked by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to voluntarily undergo testing following recent concerns surrounding a hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship.

Speaking on Tuesday’s episode of Today, Roker said he encountered the request while returning from his daughter’s wedding in Paris.

“I was coming from Europe this weekend from my daughter's wedding, and the CDC was asking people to voluntarily test,” Roker said. “But they didn't say for what, so I just wonder if it was a precaution here.”

The comments come as health officials monitor an outbreak of hantavirus connected to the MV Hondius cruise ship. The outbreak has resulted in three deaths and five confirmed infections among passengers.

According to the CDC, hantavirus is a rare virus spread mainly through contact with infected rodents such as rats and mice. People can become infected through exposure to rodent urine, droppings, saliva, or through bites and scratches. The virus can cause serious illnesses including hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS).

Authorities said the victims include a Dutch couple and a German passenger. One of the infected individuals remains in intensive care. The ship, which had been traveling in the Atlantic Ocean, docked in Spain’s Canary Islands on May 9. Passengers were later evacuated using military and government aircraft.

Roker had been traveling for a happier occasion — the wedding of his daughter, Leila Roker, in Paris on Mother’s Day weekend.

Leila, 27, married Sylvain Gricourt after announcing their engagement in March 2025. She shared the news on Instagram at the time, revealing that Gricourt proposed during a surprise trip to Venice, Italy.

Roker also celebrated the engagement publicly, writing on social media that he and his family were “thrilled” for the couple.

Health officials have not announced any broader travel restrictions related to the hantavirus outbreak, but monitoring efforts continue as authorities investigate the source and extent of the infections.