90-Second Read: Hantavirus risk to cruisers 'very, very low' says expert, instead focus on preventing the usual suspects like the flu, and increasingly, measles

Some cruise companies in Southeast Alaska say customers are concerned about the Hantavirus. An outbreak on a cruise ship from Argentina this spring sickened multiple passengers and eventually killed three people. He says there have been concerns and a lot of questions from his customers since the Hantavirus cluster, which originated more than 8,000 miles from Southeast Alaska.

But as KHNS' Melinda Munson reports, state health officials are more worried about other illnesses. The viruses that most commonly cause outbreaks on board cruise ships are norovirus, influenza virus, COVID and common cold viruses. And McLaughlin said, one disease in particular is popping up more frequently, the measles.

Now, the measles virus is the most contagious virus on the planet, as far as we know. So if somebody has measles and coughs in a room, then basically anybody else who comes into that room over the course of the next 30 minutes to an hour who's susceptible to measles could get the virus. Nate Vallier sells Alaska cruises for his Juneau-based company.