90-Second Read: Hantavirus outbreak grows to 11 cases

The Hantavirus outbreak grew to 11 cases on Tuesday, after a French woman became infected while aboard a cruise ship and is now being treated with an artificial lung in Paris and a Spanish passenger tested positive after departing the ship. Argentina's Ministry of Health on Tuesday said they will dispatch a team of scientific experts to investigate the origin of the outbreak, as the MV Hondius departed the country on April 1, the AP reported. Seventeen Americans and one British national exposed to Hantavirus on the cruise ship are quarantined either in Nebraska or Georgia while health officials monitor them for symptoms.

The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed nine of the 11 cases. The death of a German national is suspected to be caused by Hantavirus. None have shown Hantavirus symptoms, with the two medical staffers regularly monitoring all onboard.

Hantavirus generally spreads by rodents, but can be transmitted between humans in close contact. Most have not shown symptoms of Hantavirus, though one person tested positive without being symptomatic while another had mild symptoms but did not test positive. A Dutch couple has been confirmed dead after what health officials believe was exposure to the virus while visiting South America.