University of Kentucky health experts are providing guidance on hantavirus as international health authorities monitor a rare outbreak aboard a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean, according to reporting from UKNow.

The World Health Organization confirmed eight cases as of May 7, including three deaths, among passengers aboard the MV Hondius, a Dutch-flagged vessel that departed Argentina in April. The strain involved, known as the Andes virus, is the only hantavirus known to spread between people, typically through close contact.

Despite the severity of the outbreak, health authorities including the CDC and University of Kentucky have classified the public health risk as low. Kentucky health officials confirmed there are no identified close contacts from the current outbreak in the state, though the virus is being monitored as a rare disease.

Hantavirus is typically spread through exposure to infected rodents—particularly deer mice and white-footed mice found in Kentucky—most commonly through contact with rodent droppings, urine or saliva. The virus causes hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in the Americas, characterized by severe pneumonia symptoms including fatigue, fever, muscle and joint aches, headaches, dizziness and chills.

The incubation period ranges from one to eight weeks, making early diagnosis difficult because symptoms initially resemble a common cold or flu. Currently, no specific treatment exists for hantavirus or the Andes virus strain.

UK health experts recommend several preventive measures. Residents should seal gaps or holes in homes—mice can fit through openings as small as a pencil's width—and properly store food in thick plastic, metal or glass containers with tight lids. When cleaning areas where rodents may have been present, people should avoid sweeping or vacuuming, which can spread the virus into the air. Instead, they should soak contaminated areas, wipe with paper towels while wearing gloves and face protection, and properly dispose of waste.

Anyone experiencing symptoms after potential rodent exposure or believing they may have been exposed to the Andes virus should contact a healthcare provider immediately.