[Brief] ## Overview
Health authorities are urgently tracking passengers who disembarked from a Dutch cruise ship after a hantavirus outbreak. The WHO reports confirmed cases have risen to five, with three showing severe symptoms.
Contact Tracing
The ship was sailing near Cape Verde when multiple passengers developed hantavirus symptoms. Some passengers disembarked at various ports, including a stop at Tenerife. Local residents criticized the decision to allow docking as “reckless.”
Health Risk
Hantavirus, primarily transmitted by rodents, can cause Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) with a mortality rate up to 38 percent. The WHO has issued a monitoring alert, urging port nations tostrengthen screening.