Cruise ship with hantavirus outbreak heads to Canary Islands after 3 people evacuated
Summary
A cruise ship with a hantavirus outbreak evacuated three sick passengers and set off for the Canary Islands with about 150 people still on board. The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed several cases and deaths, and health officials are monitoring those remaining on the ship, who show no symptoms.Key Facts
- Three patients with hantavirus or suspected infection were evacuated from the ship, including the ship’s British doctor.
- The ship left Cape Verde heading to the Canary Islands with nearly 150 people isolated in their cabins.
- Three people died from the outbreak, and one body remains on the ship.
- Eight cases have been recorded, with five confirmed by lab testing.
- Hantavirus usually spreads through rodent droppings and rarely spreads from person to person.
- The virus found is the Andes virus, common in South America’s Argentina and Chile.
- The Dutch couple may have contracted the virus while bird-watching in Ushuaia, Argentina, before boarding the ship.
- Passengers and crew on the ship currently have no symptoms, and the Canary Islands arrival is not considered a public risk by health authorities.
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