90-Second Read: ND monitoring seven individuals for Hantavirus linked to cruise ship; risk to public low

According to the department, the seven individuals were not passengers on the MV Hondius cruise ship but were exposed overseas to someone who was on the ship. The risk of Hantavirus spreading to the general public is considered low. Crew on the Dutch cruise ship reported the outbreak of the rare Hantavirus in early May.

The vessel is where the initial Andes strain Hantavirus outbreak occurred in early May. Based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, seven individuals are being monitored: four are considered higher-risk exposures and the other three are considered lower-risk exposures. In that span, there have been 20 cases of Hantavirus in the state, with nine of those cases being fatal, according to HHS.

The CDC is monitoring 41 people across at least 16 states. The department is working closely with the CDC on the recent outbreak of Hantavirus, and further updates on the Hantavirus in North Dakota will be provided based on risk assessment and CDC guidance. An HHS spokesperson said that while Hantavirus does occur naturally in North Dakota, the Andes strain is not the usual strain found in America.