Everything you need to know about the hantavirus cruise ship outbreak

"So far, eight cases have been reported, including three people who have died. The Dutch-flagged ship, MV Hondius, which began its journey from Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1, is still carrying 147 passengers and crew. To date, those remaining on board are showing no symptoms and have been asked to sequester themselves in their cabins. At the time of publication, the ship is sailing on a three- to four-day journey that began the evening of May 6 from Cape Verde to the Canary Islands, where Spanish authorities have agreed to assist the imperiled vessel."

"With the ship en route, experts assembled by the World Health Organization are now racing to create a novel step-by-step procedure to allow the remaining passengers and crew on board to disembark safely. Meanwhile, authorities are tracking down and monitoring 30 former passengers who disembarked the ship onto the remote island of St. Helena on April 24-before the outbreak was identified but nearly two weeks after the first passenger had died on board on April 11. Those 30 passengers hail from at least 12 different countries, including six from the US."

"But in the wake of discovering the hantavirus aboard the Hondius, health officials and infectious disease experts have been quick-and virtually unanimous-in trying to quell fears. While the situation within the ship certainly is an emergency requiring careful and prompt response for those on board, the risk to the outside worl"

An outbreak of hantavirus has occurred on a Dutch-flagged luxury cruise ship off West Africa, with eight reported cases and three deaths. The MV Hondius still carries 147 passengers and crew and has asked those remaining onboard to stay in their cabins while the ship travels toward the Canary Islands for assistance. Experts assembled by the World Health Organization are developing a step-by-step procedure to enable safe disembarkation. Authorities are also tracking down and monitoring 30 former passengers who left the ship on St. Helena before the outbreak was identified, including people from multiple countries. Officials emphasize that the risk to people outside the ship is extremely low.

Read at Ars Technica