health
A Brutal First for the Cruise Industry
Norovirus loves a cruise ship. So did the coronavirus responsible for COVID-19. The crowded rooms, stuffy air, and communal dining of a giant boat filled with humans create the ideal conditions for pathogens to spread. Now hantavirus—a highly deadly rodent-borne pathogen that typically spreads when people breathe in the aerosolized feces or other bodily secretions of infected animals—may have discovered this too: The world now appears to be experiencing its first documented cruise-ship hantavirus outbreak.
TL;DR
- A cruise ship, the MV Hondius, is experiencing a potential hantavirus outbreak, marking the first such documented incident on a vessel.
- Three deaths and four illnesses, one critical, have been reported among the approximately 150 passengers and crew.
- The virus, usually spread by rodents, may be transmitted person-to-person, a possibility enhanced by cruise ship conditions.
- The ship departed from Argentina, and researchers suspect the strain may be Andes virus, which is known to spread between humans.
- The ship is currently anchored off Cabo Verde, awaiting further instructions, with Spain having agreed to receive it in the Canary Islands.