The CDC has released critical Health Alert Network notifications advising healthcare providers and public health agencies in every state about a series of Andes hantavirus infections associated with a cruise ship in the Atlantic. The Andes virus is the sole hantavirus recognized to transmit from person to person and can lead to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome — a serious and potentially deadly respiratory illness. U.S. passengers from the impacted cruise have been returned to a specialized medical center in Nebraska. The CDC is tracking air travel connections of confirmed cases across various states. Officials indicate that the overall risk to the public remains low, but they urge prompt clinical awareness throughout the country.
