Three people have died following suspected infection with hantavirus aboard a passenger ship sailing in the Atlantic Ocean, according to a statement by the World Health Organization (WHO).
WHO said one case of hantavirus has been confirmed, while five additional cases are still under investigation.
The outbreak was reported on the cruise ship MV Hondius, which was travelling from Argentina to Cape Verde.
Hantavirus is a group of viruses carried mainly by rodents such as rats. Humans are most commonly infected by inhaling air contaminated with dried rodent urine, droppings, or saliva.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), infection occurs when airborne particles from rodent waste become mixed with the air people breathe. Although rare, infection can also happen through bites or scratches from infected rodents.
Hantavirus can cause two main diseases. The first is Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), which typically begins with symptoms such as fatigue, fever, muscle aches, headaches, dizziness, and abdominal pain.
The illness can progress rapidly to severe respiratory distress, and it has a fatality rate of about 38% among those infected.
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