Hantavirus cases rise on cruise ship

The World Health Organization has confirmed a 12th case of hantavirus linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship following an Antarctic voyage.

The rare outbreak has already claimed three lives, prompting an international effort to trace hundreds of passengers who may have been exposed.

South African infectious disease experts played a crucial role in identifying the virus after a sick passenger was evacuated to a Johannesburg hospital.

While the outbreak has sparked public anxiety, experts emphasize that hantavirus typically spreads through rodent contact rather than efficient human-to-human transmission.