The World Health Organization said Tuesday it is investigating a rare instance of possible human-to-human transmission of hantavirus among close contacts aboard a luxury cruise ship hit by seven confirmed or suspected cases.
Human to human transmission is not common, and the U.N. health agency reiterated that the risk to the wider public was low from a disease typically spread from contact with infected rodents.
A Dutch couple and a German national have died, while a British national was evacuated from the ship and is in intensive care in South Africa, officials said.
Two crew members require urgent medical care, the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius ship's operator, Oceanwide Expeditions, said. Another person on board with a suspected case has only reported a mild fever.
Dutch preparing medical evacuations
