What Is Deadly Hantavirus and How Did It Spread on a Cruise Ship?

A cluster of hantavirus infections linked to a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean has left three people dead and several others seriously ill, prompting an alert from the World Health Organization and raising questions about how a rare rodent-borne disease might spread in such an unusual setting.

The outbreak occurred aboard the Hondius, a polar expedition vessel that had been sailing from Argentina toward Europe. Passengers and crew developed severe respiratory symptoms, with some evacuated to hospitals in South Africa and the Netherlands. Authorities are still investigating how the virus was transmitted on board.