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Sounds bad.
Location: The outbreak occurred on the MV Hondius, a vessel travelling from Argentina to Cape Verde.
Victims: Three people have died, including a Dutch couple and a German national.
Affected: A British passenger was medically evacuated to Johannesburg, South Africa, and was treated in intensive care. Another British crew member was also reported to require medical care.
Strain & Transmission: The outbreak is believed to involve the Andes virus strain, which is rare but known to be capable of person-to-person transmission, BBC News reports.
Status: The ship was banned from docking in the Canary Islands, leaving passengers under strict isolation and Oceanwide Expeditions implementing containment measures.
As hantaviruses are carried by rodents, infections in humans tend to occur in places where people and rodents coexist. This is most commonly in rural, agricultural settings. The viruses can also sometimes be found in cleaning sheds, barns and holiday homes where rodents might have nested. More prevalent in South America.
Location: The outbreak occurred on the MV Hondius, a vessel travelling from Argentina to Cape Verde.
Victims: Three people have died, including a Dutch couple and a German national.
Affected: A British passenger was medically evacuated to Johannesburg, South Africa, and was treated in intensive care. Another British crew member was also reported to require medical care.
Strain & Transmission: The outbreak is believed to involve the Andes virus strain, which is rare but known to be capable of person-to-person transmission, BBC News reports.
Status: The ship was banned from docking in the Canary Islands, leaving passengers under strict isolation and Oceanwide Expeditions implementing containment measures.
As hantaviruses are carried by rodents, infections in humans tend to occur in places where people and rodents coexist. This is most commonly in rural, agricultural settings. The viruses can also sometimes be found in cleaning sheds, barns and holiday homes where rodents might have nested. More prevalent in South America.
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