90-Second Read: Kansas health officials monitoring 3 people with 'high-risk exposure' to Hantavirus

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is monitoring three people who were exposed to a person who later tested positive for Hantavirus. Their exposure is considered a "high-risk exposure," which may include "prolonged close contact or shared living space with a symptomatic individual, or close proximity during travel." The three people were not on board the cruise ship, health officials say. While their status is being monitored, health officials say there are "no suspected or confirmed cases of Hantavirus in Kansas." The health department will continue to monitor the risk.

KDHE continues to assess the risk to the public from the Andes Hantavirus as extremely low. Health officials say the three people were exposed internationally after contact with an individual who was on the MV Hondius cruise ship. Officials say the risk to the public is "extremely low." "We do think the risk to the general public is very low from from the Andes strain of, of Hantavirus," said Sarah Boyd, an infectious disease physician with Saint Luke's Health System.

Boyd said Kansas health officials appear to be handling the situation aggressively and carefully. Boyd said she does not expect the number of cases to grow significantly but encouraged people to rely on trusted health information instead of panic. Is really reassuring to me, that that they're on top of it and able to help us and those people.