Hantavirus outbreak: AZ resident who was on cruise ship being monitored by health department

PHOENIX - Health officials are monitoring an Arizona resident who was on board the cruise ship linked to a deadly hantavirus outbreak.

What we know:

The Arizona Department of Health Services says the Arizona resident was a passenger on the MV Hondius and has not shown any signs of the illness.

"This individual is not symptomatic and is being monitored by public health," the department said. "They'll be monitored for 42 days."

Two other U.S. passengers are also reportedly being monitored. Roughly 150 passengers and crew remain isolated on the cruise ship. Health officials say no one currently on board is showing symptoms of the hantavirus.

The backstory:

The cruise ship in question, known as the MV Hondius, left Argentina on April 1 for a weekslong cruise that included scheduled stops in Antarctica and several South Atlantic islands.

The World Health Organization says three people have died, and many others have been sickened as a result of the outbreak. On May 6, three infected patients were evacuated from the cruise ship. They were transported to the Netherlands for medical treatment.

According to the Associated Press, the leading theory of the outbreak is that a Dutch couple contracted the virus during a bird-watching tour in the city of Ushuaia before boarding the cruise ship.

Dig deeper:

The type of virus in the outbreak has been confirmed as Andes hantavirus by several health officials treating patients in various countries, WHO said.

The Andes virus, a specific species of hantavirus, is found in South America, primarily in Argentina and Chile, WHO said. It can be spread between people, though this is rare and only through close contact such as by sharing a bed or food, experts say.

Symptoms can appear up to eight weeks after exposure, officials have said.

Expert Weighs In:

While any case is rare in Arizona, Reuben Hill with Truly Nolen Pest Control says people should take every precaution when dealing with rodents or their droppings.

Reuben Hill, area sales manager for Truly Nolen Pest Control, said, "Making sure that you're essentially not sweeping any of the droppings because those contaminants would be able to actually go airborne."

He says to air out the room, and spray everything with a sanitizing solution before vacuuming it up. But he says the safest course of action is to call a professional.

"So we want to be very, very careful of identifying it and just calling a pest professional. Most companies out there are going to be having free inspections," Hill said.

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