90-Second Read: 2 NJ residents exposed to Hantavirus that caused cruise ship outbreak

The Garden State residents are not currently showing symptoms of illness and were not passengers on the cruise ship MV Hondius, where several people were infected and three died, New Jersey health officials said. Several international travelers on board the cruise ship, now off the coast of West Africa, have been infected with a particular strain of Hantavirus known as the Andes virus, according to the World Health Organization, which was first notified of the outbreak on May 2. As of May 7, eight cases of the Andes virus linked to the cruise ship outbreak have been confirmed and three people have died, according to the World Health Organization. Hantavirus, in general, is typically diagnosed through discussing possible exposures with a medical provider, since symptoms can appear similar to other.

While New York City has its fair share of rodents, most cases of Hantavirus in the United States have been found west of the Mississippi River, according to the New York state Department of Health. Since outbreaks of the Andes virus are rare and it's the only Hantavirus known to be transmitted from person to person, it's still not fully understood how the virus spreads among humans, said Dr. But the New York state Department of Health says early medical care to address the symptoms is crucial, and that anyone suspected of having Hantavirus should be taken to an emergency room or intensive care unit immediately for close monitoring. Here's what else to know about the disease and how to avoid exposure. Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive.

Rather, the pair were exposed to someone who had been on the cruise, according to the department. The Andes virus, however, is the one type of Hantavirus that is also known to spread from person to person, according to the CDC. According to the state health department, the best way to prevent exposure to Hantavirus is to avoid contact with live or dead rodents as well as their droppings and urine and to avoid disturbing any rodent burrows or nests. He added that past studies suggest it spreads among people with "very close contact." It seems the Andes virus is not very contagious, considering how rarely it has caused outbreaks in the past, Chandran said. At this time, the risk to the general public in New Jersey remains very low,".

Argentinian health authorities are investigating the theory that a Dutch couple brought the Andes virus onto the cruise ship after contracting it from a rodent in a town called Ushuaia at the southern tip of Argentina, according to NPR. Chandran said he and others in his field have been developing monoclonal antibody treatments for Hantavirus that he believes are ready for clinical testing. According to the CDC, symptoms of the Andes virus are flu-like and can include a headache, muscle aches, a fever, nausea and vomiting, a cough, chest pain and difficulty breathing. These symptoms can appear anywhere from four to 42 days after exposure. One would imagine that with the proper precautions and contact tracing and isolation [of those exposed to the virus], one should be able to control.