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Deadly Cruise Ship Virus Spreads: US Travelers Monitored
7 May
Summary
- Three people died from hantavirus on the MV Hondius cruise ship.
- US travelers from California, Georgia, and Arizona are being monitored.
- The Andes strain of hantavirus, capable of human-to-human transmission, is suspected.
A hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship has led to the deaths of three individuals, including a Dutch couple and a German national. The World Health Organization confirmed five cases as of Wednesday, with one death directly attributed to the virus. U.S. health officials are monitoring travelers from California, Georgia, and Arizona who recently disembarked from the ship, although no symptoms have been reported.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that the risk to the American public remains extremely low. The identified strain is the Andes strain, which is known for its rare ability to transmit between humans. Officials are actively attempting to locate approximately 40 passengers who disembarked in St. Helena before the outbreak was widely reported.
The cruise ship has been cleared to continue its voyage and is en route to Spain's Canary Islands, despite some local opposition. Hantavirus is primarily transmitted from rodents to humans, usually through exposure to their droppings, saliva, or urine, and can cause severe respiratory illness.
