Dutch cruise ship Hondius -- seen here off Santiago, Cape Verde, on May 4 -- is presently docked off Rotterdam, Netherlands, being decontaminated. File Photo by Elton Monteiro/EPA
May 24 (UPI) -- The hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship that gained worldwide attention earlier this month is "stable for now," according to the head of the World Health Organization, who said passengers and crew were still being monitored.
There have been 12 cases, including three deaths, stemming from an outbreak of the disease that struck the Hondius vessel early this month, prompting emergency evacuations of its passengers and crew. The ship, operated by the Netherlands-based Oceanwide Expeditions, is now docked in Rotterdam, where it is being decontaminated.
"The situation is stable for now," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Sunday in a social media update.
"We continue to remain vigilant and in close contact with all relevant governments.
