The sickness starts with symptoms including a fever and chills and can quickly become life-threatening

Despite a cruise ship outbreak of a rare rodent-borne illness, global health officials say the risk to the general public remains low because hantavirus germs do not easily spread…

While rare, the disease can be transmitted to humans through inhalation of airborne particles from dried rodent droppings.

WHO says a total of seven hantavirus cases identified on cruise ship so far

The crew member is understood to be experiencing acute respiratory symptoms