90-Second Read: Could the Hantavirus Cruise Ship Outbreak Lead to a Pandemic? Experts Explain the Risk Level

An outbreak of Hantavirus, a deadly virus carried by rodents, has killed three and infected 8 on a cruise ship. A total of eight cases, including three deaths, have been reported in an outbreak of Hantavirus on a cruise ship. Additionally, the strain of Hantavirus involved in the cruise ship outbreak is even more uncommon, according to experts. They're not new, but outbreaks of Hantavirus are very uncommon, Dr. Here's what to know about the outbreak: On May 4, the WHO confirmed a cluster of Hantavirus cases on the MV Hondius.

Of the nearly 150 people aboard, eight suspected or confirmed cases of Hantavirus have been identified so far, including three deaths. Helena after the death on board, about one week before Hantavirus was detected, cruise operator Oceanwide Expeditions said in a statement. The current cluster could result in additional cases among cruise passengers, Broadhurst notes, and secondary transmission among their close contacts is possible, but the risk of widespread transmission remains low. One patient is critically ill and being treated in an intensive care unit in South Africa, where laboratory testing first identified Hantavirus on May 2, per the WHO. Authorities in Georgia, Arizona, California, Texas and Virginia have confirmed they are monitoring residents who left the cruise early and have since returned home.

In the meantime, health officials are investigating how the ultra-rare virus made its way onto the luxury cruise ship and spread among passengers. Hantaviruses are a group zoonotic viruses that can cause severe disease and death in humans. At least 20 strains of Hantavirus are known to cause disease in humans, Kari Moore Debbink, Ph.D, a professor of molecular microbiology and immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, tells TODAY.com. While Hantavirus is dangerous, experts say the general public doesn't need to worry. What to know about the Andes strain, how it spreads and symptoms.

Andes Hantavirus, which is found in South America, mainly in Argentina and Chile, is unique in that it's the only species known to cause human-to-human transmission, Dr. If you're wondering if Hantavirus will become the next COVID, the answer from experts is no. It's a rare but dangerous virus carried by rodents, which has prompted concerns about a possible pandemic and comparisons to COVID-19. Health authorities across multiple countries are rushing to trace contacts of the sick passengers and control the outbreak, which began on the MV Hondius in early April. However, you can reduce your risk of contracting all Hantaviruses by minimizing your exposure to wild rodents, especially species known to carry Hantavirus.