WHO suspects human-to-human hantavirus transmission on cruise ship

The World Health Organization suspects hantavirus may have spread between people on a cruise ship, with three dead among seven confirmed and suspected cases.

Maria Van Kerkhove, Department Director, WHO said "Our working assumption, given the timeline of the cases, the suspected cases, that we know, those six or seven -- if we count the one that's doing well -- the initial patient, the initial case, and his wife, they joined the boat in Argentina. And with the timing of the incubation period of Hantavirus, which can be anywhere from one to six weeks, our assumption is that they were infected off the ship, perhaps doing some activities there."

Spain said Tuesday it will not decide where to let a cruise ship with hantavirus cases dock until epidemiological data had been analyzed. WHO suspects that the initial patient, who boarded the cruise in Argentina, was likely ill before boarding.