As of May 6, three passengers on an expedition cruise ship have died from acute respiratory illness, and several more cases are suspected among passengers and crew. Health officials are investigating whether hantavirus is the cause.
The virus usually spreads from rodents to people. Officials are also checking whether it may have spread between people on board, which is rare but would be a major concern if proven. Authorities have not released the ship name or full testing details. The public-health response so far includes investigation, testing and monitoring of those on board.
Difficult words
- expedition — a trip for exploration or scientific work
- acute — sudden and severe in a short time
- respiratory — related to breathing and the lungs
- hantavirus — a virus that can cause serious lung disease
- rodent — small mammals like mice and ratsrodents
- investigate — to look for facts and find the causeinvestigating
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Discussion questions
- If you were on the ship, what would you do first?
- Why would person-to-person spread be a major concern?
- What steps are authorities taking on board?
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