At least three people have died of suspected infections of hantavirus, a rodent-borne virus, on a Dutch cruise ship.
The deaths occurred amid six hantavirus cases, one confirmed and five suspected, associated with a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean, USA TODAY reported. The virus can cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, both potentially deadly diseases, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Hantaviruses can infect and cause serious disease in people worldwide,” the CDC website says. “People get hantavirus from contact with rodents like rats and mice, especially when exposed to their urine, droppings, and saliva. It can also spread through a bite or scratch by a rodent, but this is rare.”
You can protect yourself from hantavirus by limiting contact with rodents and following safe practices to keep them out of your home or workplace.
Here’s what to know about hantavirus.
Did hantavirus cause cruise ship deaths?
Hantavirus is suspected in the deaths of three people who were recently aboard m/v Hondius, a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean. The World Health Organization said there is one confirmed hantavirus case and five suspected cases associated with the cruise ship.
In a statement provided to USA TODAY, Netherlands-based expedition cruise operator Oceanwide Expeditions said it was addressing a “serious medical situation” on board m/v Hondius. The ship was en route from Argentina to Cape Verde, an island nation off Africa’s west coast.
What is hantavirus?
Hantavirus is a family of rodent-borne viruses that spread mainly by exposure to the urine, droppings and saliva of rats and mice, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The viruses causes two deadly diseases, in the U.S., hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, and mainly in Europe and Asia, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, the CDC noted. 38% of people with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome who get respiratory symptoms may die.
What are common hantavirus pulmonary syndrome symptoms?
Here are common early symptoms of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, according to the CDC:
Around half of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome cases also see the following symptoms, per the CDC:
How to prevent the spread of hantavirus
To prevent the spread of hantavirus and its related diseases, reduce contact with rodents in your home, workplace or campsite, the CDC advises. Put rodent traps in and around your home or workplace, clean up food and seal holes or gaps in your home, workplace or garage.
USA TODAY contributed.
Contact Jenna Prestininzi: jprestininzi@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: What is hantavirus? What to know following cruise ship outbreak
Reporting by Jenna Prestininzi and Eve Chen, USA TODAY NETWORK / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
