What you need to know about the deadly hantavirus

Three people have died due to an outbreak of hantavirus. Here’s what you need to know. A ship anchored off Cape Verde in the Atlantic Ocean has been struck by an outbreak of hantavirus, a rodent-borne illness, which can cause severe disease and up to 50 per cent mortality in humans. Seven people have been infected on board, three of whom have already died. The source of the outbreak is unknown. The initial symptoms often include fever, muscle aches, headache and gastrointestinal symptoms. Some patients then progress to respiratory illness. Diagnosis is usually made through specialist blood tests. According to the WHO, the vessel departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on 1 April 2026, and followed an itinerary across the South Atlantic, with stops at Antarctica, South Georgia, Nightingale Island, Tristan da Cunha, Saint Helena and Ascension Island. In different parts of the world, there are different hantaviruses associated with different clinical syndromes. So far, the actual strain of hantavirus affecting people on the ship is unknown so further testing is important. https://www.newscientist.com/article/2525328-hantavirus-where-has-the-deadly-cruise-ship-outbreak-come-from/ #hantavirus