90-Second Read: 3 King County residents possibly exposed to Hantavirus linked to infected cruise ship

Three King County residents are being monitored by public health officials after potential exposure to the Hantavirus linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship. PREVIOUS COVERAGE | How concerned should Seattle cruise passengers be about Hantavirus? Two of the residents were seated on an airplane near an ill cruise ship passenger who was removed from the plane before takeoff and later tested positive for the Andes type of Hantavirus. Public Health, Seattle & King County said it was notified by the Washington State Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that three people were possibly exposed.

Public Health said it is also aware of a third King County resident who was a passenger on the MV Hondius cruise ship. The World Health Organization says the outbreak has now reached 11 total cases worldwide, nine of which have been confirmed. The Andes virus involved in the cruise ship outbreak is different because it has shown a limited ability to spread between people under close-contact conditions, something not documented with the strain commonly found in the western United States. However, officials say the risk to the public remains low, and there are no current cases in King County.

The Andes virus is the only known type of Hantavirus that can spread from person to person, though officials said that type of transmission is rare, and studies show spread between people typically requires prolonged, close contact with someone who is sick with the Andes virus. Hantavirus symptoms begin 1, 8 weeks after exposure to rodent waste, starting with flu-like fever, muscle aches, and fatigue. The risk of this virus spreading to residents of King County is low at this time. The county also warned that deer mice can carry Hantavirus in wooded rural and suburban settings, including cabins, garages, sheds, and vehicles.

Alex Greninger, head of the Division of Infectious Disease Diagnostics at the University of Washington Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, said Hantaviruses behave very differently from coronaviruses. Greninger explained that Washington state already has its own form of Hantavirus, known as Sin Nombre virus, which is typically spread through exposure to rodent droppings or urine, often in cabins, sheds, or rural areas. The overall tally includes three people from the cruise ship who died.