Three people on board a cruise ship sailing in the Atlantic have died after contracting a dangerous virus, while authorities continue to investigate additional suspected cases. The outbreak has forced more than 150 passengers and crew members to remain confined on the vessel.
At the same time, authorities have detected the virus in Romania, where monitoring measures are now in place. The Ministry of Health has put eight counties on alert and under supervision.
So far this year, Romania has reported one confirmed case of hantavirus infection. According to the National Institute of Public Health, a total of 15 cases have been recorded over the past three years, Antena 3 CNN reports.
Specialists explain that hantavirus is primarily transmitted from rodents to humans through inhalation of contaminated particles, often originating from mice. The World Health Organization is also assessing the possibility of limited human-to-human transmission.
The disease can lead to severe respiratory conditions as well as hemorrhagic fever affecting the kidneys. However, the World Health Organization considers the overall risk for Europe, in the context of the current outbreak, to remain very low.
At present, no approved vaccine against hantavirus exists in Europe.