Swiss authorities say man who was on cruise ship tested positive for hantavirus
AP News • • health
Key Points:
- A man returning to Switzerland from South America tested positive for hantavirus after traveling on the MV Hondius cruise ship, which is currently anchored off Cape Verde, and is receiving treatment.
- South African health authorities confirmed the presence of the Andes strain of hantavirus, capable of person-to-person transmission, in two passengers from the same cruise ship.
- The Andes virus, primarily found in Argentina and Chile, is usually spread by rodents and close human contact, such as sharing a bed or food.
- The outbreak on the cruise ship has resulted in three deaths, including a British man in intensive care and a woman who died posthumously in South Africa; at least four others have fallen ill.
- The ship departed from Argentina, and initial cases involved passengers who had traveled in Argentina and other parts of South America before boarding.
