Three people have died after a suspected hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean, the World Health Organization (WHO) has told the BBC.

One case has been confirmed, with five suspected cases under investigation, it said. One British national aged 69 is in intensive care in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Hantavirus is usually passed to humans from rodents via their urine or faeces. It can cause severe respiratory illness. Rarely, it can be transmitted between people.

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[–] 54 points 6 months ago (4 children)

Cruise Ship and Hantavirus is a combo made in hell.

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  • [+] 18 points 6 months ago (3 children)
  • [–] 10 points 6 months ago (1 child)

    Just the point that three people have died from an infection transferred by rats tells a horrible tale about the hygienic state of the ship. I don't think that you see rats as a passenger on a normal cruise ship. That several people got close enough to those rats to get infected is not a good sign.

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  • [+] 21 points 6 months ago (2 children)
  • [–] 12 points 6 months ago

    What a clean ship it must be! Oceanwide Expeditions must be proud.

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  • [–] 12 points 6 months ago

    Fyi hantavirus is what killed Gene Hackman's wife.

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  • [+] 11 points 6 months ago (3 children)
  • [–] 8 points 6 months ago

    This is from mouse and rat shit in the food.

    Enjoy your vacation! All you can eat!

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  • [–] 6 points 6 months ago

    Cruise ships make me wonder about if this could happen on colony ships.

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  • [–] 1 point 6 months ago

    There goes my plans for a cruise of the Four Corners area.

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  • [–] -1 points 6 months ago

    I'd rather take my chances with the sharks and hypothermia.

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  • 18 comments in c/world view that post
    [–] 33 points 6 months ago (3 children)

    Good grief! 70 year old husband dies on board, 69 year old wife medevaced and dies in a hospital in South Africa. Prob a dream holiday for this Dutch couple who aren’t going home again.

    170 passengers in 80 cabins, 52 crew and ONE DOCTOR I can’t even imagine how stressful it would be - you spend 99.9% of your time getting paid to be on a cruise - deal with minor injuries and prob too many hangovers - telling yourself this is a pretty sweet gig, then BAM nightmare of a lifetime scenario. You’re stuck on a ship, responsible for the wellbeing of over 200 people who are all now freaking out over a yucky and potentially deadly virus killing fellow travellers.

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  • [–] 2 points 6 months ago

    My Auntie used to be a cruise ship doctor. Like you say it's a sweet gig and got to take her husband too. She didn't have anything like this happen but it can be, like any job, crazy busy and crazy slow.

    I think she told me one time there was signs of an outbreak so people were confined to their rooms and precaution like using tissues to open doors then dispose of instantly afterwards. I guess the tactic there is preventive. Nothing severe happened that I know of.

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  • [–] 14 points 6 months ago (9 children)

    I've never not gotten sick on a cruise ship.

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  • [–] 6 points 6 months ago (3 children)

    Stop licking all the door knobs then. I was fine on my last one, they even provided hand sanitizer before eating which was nice.

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  • [–] 3 points 6 months ago (1 child)

    Hantavirus comes from mouse or rat shit in the food.

    Norovirus comes from human shit in the food.

    Purell will not cleans your sins.

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  • [–] 2 points 6 months ago

    Someone with norovirus shitty hands opens a door, smearing poop viruses on the handle. You open the door and go to get something to eat. Should you clean your hands before eating?

    Doesn't make you immune but basic hygiene helps reduce the chance of catching something.

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  • [–] 3 points 6 months ago (2 children)

    These stories have appeared almost every year of my life

    It used to be legionnaires disease

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  • [–] 7 points 6 months ago (2 children)

    Never gotten sick on a cruise ship or during vacations ever :3 (Is poor and never been on a vacation let alone a cruise ship)

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  • [–] 4 points 6 months ago (1 child)

    I honestly never want to go on a cruise ship. I do not see the appeal of being stuck in a massive boat with however many idiots they can cram in there.

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  • [–] 3 points 6 months ago

    A frighteningly large amount of people will see nothing wrong with digging around in their ass, then not washing their hands.

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