What is the hantavirus that killed three cruise ship passengers?
Summary
An outbreak of hantavirus on a luxury cruise ship has killed three people, with five more confirmed or suspected cases. The virus primarily spreads through rodents and can cause severe illness.
Key Points
- Three deaths have occurred from a hantavirus outbreak on a luxury cruise ship with five further confirmed or suspected cases.
- Hantavirus is primarily spread through contact with rodents or their excreta, sometimes becoming airborne during cleaning.
- The Andes strain, found in Argentina and Chile, can spread via close human contact and is responsible for the cruise ship outbreak.
- There is no specific treatment for hantavirus, with supportive care and prevention measures focused on rodent control.
- The World Health Organization assesses public risk from this cruise ship outbreak as low but notes rising cases in parts of the Americas including Argentina.
