CDC assigns level 3 to outbreak
Regional monitoring editor
Timestamp shown in UTC unless otherwise indicated.
The US CDC classified the hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship as a "Level 3" emergency. But one key question remains unanswered. The outbreak began on the MV Hondius.
It left Argentina in March and carried passengers from many countries. By May, the WHO confirmed five infections from the ship. Three of those people died.
Over 100 passengers were still on board as of Thursday. Doctors joined the crew. Health authorities in at least a dozen nations now watch passengers who left.
They traveled worldwide after getting off. ABC News broke the story of CDC's Level 3 call. The agency called this a rare and unusual situation.
The outbreak is notable because hantavirus on a cruise route is very rare. Symptoms may seem mild early on. But doctors say kidneys and other organs can fail fast.
Officials warned of possible human-to-human spread. That’s what scared everyone. Hantavirus usually comes from infected rodents or their droppings.
So the idea of it passing between people on a ship spiked alarms quickly. Even so, officials hold firm. This is not part of a widespread threat.
The CDC has four emergency levels. Level 1 is the most serious. Level 3 means the agency rallies different departments and pulls resources together.
It is not an all-out, total team response.