Gabriela Emanuel
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meaning this hantavirus does not seem to mutate quickly.
That's good news insofar as it's a known virus, and with the right public health precautions, it shouldn't spread too far.
Thank you.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sent out a brief email on Wednesday saying they are monitoring the response and coordinating with international partners.
Without specifics, Jeannie Marazzo, head of the Infectious Disease Society of America, says she would have expected press conferences, a health alert, and likely a team sent to help in the investigation.
The World Health Organization says their teams have been in regular contact with the U.S.
The CDC did not immediately respond to NPR's request for comment.
People are typically infected with hantavirus after inhaling virus particles from rodent urine, feces, or saliva.
However, Andy's hantavirus is known to be transmitted between people who are in very close contact.
Kari Debink is at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.
What they're doing is isolating people mostly in their rooms, like allowing them to go to kind of the open decks where, you know, the ventilation is good.
The World Health Organization says personal protective equipment has been brought on board.
Three passengers have died and there are five other patients, including one in a hospital in South Africa and another in a hospital in Switzerland.
Debink says the risk to the general public is very low.
Hantavirus is a rare but serious condition that typically spreads because of exposure to rodent urine, feces, or saliva.
But in a small number of cases, the virus can be transmitted between people.
The WHO's Maria Vankirkov spoke at a press conference Tuesday.