Update on hantavirus outbreak linked to polar expedition cruise

A cluster of hantavirus cases has been linked to a polar expedition cruise ship that departed from Argentina. The World Health Organization has confirmed nine cases and two suspected cases, including a death on the remote island of Tristan da Cunha. Three fatalities involving a Dutch couple and a German national have been reported since the start of the outbreak. Health authorities in Italy and Spain have cleared seventeen individuals who were under observation, testing them negative for the virus. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has mandated a six-week quarantine for all asymptomatic passengers until June 21 or 22. While the WHO emphasizes that this is not a pandemic and human-to-human transmission is rare, officials remain cautious due to the virus's long incubation period. European health ministers are coordinating their response to assess potential risks, including the possibility of viral mutation. A 25-year-old Italian man is currently undergoing testing at the Spallanzani hospital in Rome after exposure to a confirmed case.