A suspected hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship in the Atlantic has renewed attention on the rare rodent-borne virus, after IOL reported that health officials urged calm following a confirmed case connected to South Africa.

The concern follows reports of deaths and suspected infections among people linked to the MV Hondius, which had travelled from Argentina toward Cape Verde. The World Health Organization is coordinating with affected countries while investigations continue.

Hantavirus is not spread in the same way as respiratory viruses such as Covid-19 or influenza. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people usually become infected after exposure to infected rodents’ urine, droppings or saliva, often by breathing in contaminated particles.

The virus can cause severe illness, including hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which affects the lungs, and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, which affects the kidneys.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control says different hantavirus strains are linked to different forms of disease across regions.

Despite the seriousness of severe cases, health authorities say the wider public risk remains low. South Africa’s Department of Health said contact tracing was being conducted with the NICD and Gauteng health authorities, while WHO-led coordination continues across affected countries.

The cruise-linked cases have also placed cross-border health monitoring in focus, especially because maritime outbreaks of hantavirus are unusual. Officials are still investigating how exposure may have occurred.