What is hantavirus and how does it spread? | CNN

Hantavirus, a rare disease typically caused by exposure to infected rodents’ urine or feces, is suspected in the deaths of three people after an outbreak aboard a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean. Two hantavirus cases has been confirmed, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), with five more suspected cases under investigation. The ship had been traveling from Argentina to Cape Verde, a group of islands off the coast of West Africa. At first, hantavirus can feel like the flu, with patients suffering from fatigue, fevers, chills and aches. But over time, as the virus damages the heart, lungs or kidneys, patients can suffer severe shortness of breath, organ failure and even die. WHO said Monday that there is no need for alarm and that the risk to the wider public remains low. Still, experts are puzzled as to how the disease could have spread on the cruise ship. Hantavirus refers to a strain of viruses spread by rodents through their bodily fluids and excrement. Humans often become infected when they inhale particles from dried rodent droppings. Typically, this happens when someone attempts to dispose of rodent droppings by sweeping them up, causing the particles to becom