A North Carolina resident is under medical monitoring after exposure to a rare hantavirus outbreak aboard the expedition ship M/V Hondius, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
Federal officials say the outbreak involves the Andes virus, the only known hantavirus capable of spreading from person to person through close contact.
Passengers from the ship will be monitored for symptoms for 42 days after their last possible exposure.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says hantaviruses are usually spread through contact with infected rodents, including exposure to urine, droppings, or saliva.
Symptoms can include fever, fatigue, muscle aches, and severe respiratory distress. There is currently no specific treatment for the illness.
State and federal health officials say they continue coordinating closely as monitoring and quarantine efforts remain underway.
“Our public health team is among the best in the country and remains ready to respond as the situation evolves,” said Dr. Kelly Kimple, Director of NCDHHS Division of Public Health, in a press release. “We are in constant communication with federal, state and local officials and are prepared to assist the individual and protect the health and well-being of all North Carolinians.”
For more information about hantavirus, visit the NCDHHS hantavirus webpage or CDC hantavirus webpage.
