Rodent-borne hantavirus suspected in cruise ship outbreak that killed three and sickened others

A rodent-borne illness is believed to be behind a recent cruise ship outbreak that has resulted in three deaths and several illnesses, according to health officials.

The disease, known as hantavirus, has been documented for centuries with cases in Asia and Europe, and in the United States it emerged in the early 1990s as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a severe respiratory condition.

The World Health Organization said investigations are ongoing, including laboratory testing, epidemiological studies, and sequencing of the virus. Hantavirus spreads primarily through contact with rodent urine, saliva or droppings that become airborne, and human-to-human transmission is rare.