A suspected hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship along the coast of Africa has led to the deaths of three passengers. One case has been confirmed as the death from hantavirus, while others are still under investigation.
The first victim, a 70-year-old man, died after suffering from a severe hemorrhagic fever. Two of the people who died were a couple from the Netherlands, aged 70 and 69, and a third passenger who died is identified as a German national.
The World Health Organization has urged the public to stay calm, stating that the risk to the wider public remains low. Hantavirus infections are uncommon and usually linked to exposure to infected rodents.
Here are five things to know about hantavirus:
Humans mostly catch hantavirus by breathing in tiny particles from an infected rodent's droppings, urine or nesting material. It can also spread through food contaminated by mice or, in very rare cases, through a bite or scratch from an infected rodent.
Hantavirus can lead to two serious illnesses: Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) and Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS). The symptoms of HPS include fever, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, chills, nausea and stomach pain, appearing one to eight weeks after exposure.
The best way to stay safe is to avoid contact with rodents. This includes trapping mice, properly cleaning rodent droppings with disinfectant, keeping woodpiles and compost away from your home, clearing out trash that could attract rodents and not leaving pet food where mice can reach it.
