Four Canadians are confirmed to be onboard a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean where a suspected outbreak of the rare hantavirus has killed three passengers and left at least three other people seriously ill.
The operator of the cruise, Oceanwide Expeditions, wrote in a press release Monday that it is still dealing with a “serious medical situation on board the m/v Hondius, which is currently off the coast of Cape Verde.”
Hantavirus is a rodent-borne illness spread by contact with rodents or their urine, saliva or droppings. WHO says that while it rarely happens, hantaviruses can also spread directly between people.
It was unclear how an outbreak could have started, and the WHO said it was investigating while working to coordinate the evacuation of two sick crew members.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
