Three people have died and three are ill after a Netherlands-based ?cruise ship was hit by a suspected outbreak of hantavirus, authorities and media reports said on Sunday.
Here is information about the virus.
Spread by rodents?
Hantavirus is primarily spread by rodents but can be transmitted between ?people in rare cases, according to the World Health Organization.
People ?most ?typically become infected when the virus in rodent droppings, saliva ?and urine becomes airborne, such as when areas where rats and mice have nested are swept out.
According to The Lancet ?medical journal, the name comes from the Hantan River area of South ?Korea, where the virus was identified in the 1970s.
Can be fatal?
Hantavirus is a family of viruses that cause ?two illnesses, one that primarily ?affects the lungs and the other that attacks the kidneys. The first gets the most ?attention because it ?has a high fatality rate of about 40%.
Hantavirus ?pulmonary syndrome, the respiratory illness, is most commonly found ?in North ?and South America.
According to the Canadian government, about 200 cases of hantavirus pulmonary illness occur each year worldwide.
Concert pianist Betsy Arakawa, wife of actor Gene Hackman, died from hantavirus ?pulmonary syndrome in New Mexico in 2025, according to autopsy results.
Symptoms?
Hantavirus usually begins with flu-like symptoms, such as fatigue and fever, one to eight weeks after exposure, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Four to 10 days ?later, ?coughing, shortness of breath and fluid in the ?lungs appear.
Diagnosis in the first 72 hours of infection is ?difficult, the CDC says, so symptoms can easily be mistaken for flu.
Treatment?
There is no specific therapy for hantavirus infection, so treatment focuses on supportive care including rest and fluids. Patients may ?need breathing support such as a ventilator.
Prevention?
Experts say exposure to hantavirus can be minimized by deterring and eliminating rodents from areas where people are. Avoid vacuuming or sweeping dried droppings, which can aerosolize the virus.
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