Health officials are investigating a suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard the polar cruise vessel MV Hondius after multiple passengers fell seriously ill during a voyage across the Atlantic Ocean.
The outbreak has now been linked back to the death of Gene Hackman's wife, Betsy Arakawa, who died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome last year.
At least one passenger tested positive for hantavirus, while five additional infections remain under investigation, with three people having died and another in intensive care in South Africa.
Hantavirus infections are typically linked to environmental exposure, and while rare, the disease may spread between people, leading to severe respiratory illness.
The cruise ship was carrying roughly 150 passengers and around 70 crew members at the time of the outbreak.
There is currently no specific cure for hantavirus infections, but early diagnosis and rapid treatment significantly improve survival chances.
