Hantavirus, a rare disease typically caused by exposure to infected rodents’ urine or feces, is suspected in the deaths of three people after an outbreak aboard a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
CNN reported that one hantavirus case has been confirmed, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), with five more suspected cases under investigation. The ship had been traveling from Argentina to Cape Verde, a group of island off the coast of West Africa.
At first, it can feel like the flu, with patients suffering from fatigue, fevers, chills and aches. But over time, as the virus damages the heart, lungs or kidneys, patients can suffer severe shortness of breath, organ failure and even die.
WHO said Monday that there is no need for alarm and that the risk to the wider public remains low. Still, experts are puzzled as to how the disease could have spread on the cruise ship.
Here’s what to know about hantavirus.
It refers to a strain of viruses spread by rodents through their bodily fluids and excrement.
Humans often become infected when they inhale particles from dried rodent droppings. Typically, this happens when someone attempts to dispose of rodent droppings by sweeping them up, causing the particles to become airborne. The most common hantavirus in the United States is spread by the deer mouse.
Humans can also become infected by touching contaminated objects and then touching their mouth or nose. It can also spread through rodent bites or scratches, though this is rare.
Only one Hantavirus – the Andes strain, native to South America is known to have spread from person-to-person, and this is rare.
