LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A luxury cruise ship hit by a deadly virus outbreak is set to arrive in the Canary Islands on Sunday.
So far, the hantavirus outbreak has killed three people. Locals are protesting ahead of the ship's arrival. Spanish officials say they will screen passengers before they leave the ship.
The State Department is arranging a flight for 17 Americans still on board. According to the CDC, they will be escorted to a quarantine unit in Nebraska.
Before we start to worry about this virus making headlines, I wanted to provide you with facts about hantavirus.
WATCH: Channel 13 anchor Abel Garcia has what you need to know about the hantavirus
It is a rare but potentially deadly disease spread mostly through contact with urine, droppings, or saliva from infected rodents like mice and rats. According to the CDC, you don't catch it casually from other people. The danger comes when those droppings are disturbed, sending virus particles into the air that can be inhaled.
I reached out to Dr. Catherine Nguyen-Ward with Concierge Wellness Center. She tells me the risk in Southern Nevada is low but she says there are things you can do to stay safe.
"How should we dispose of those droppings if we do find them in our household," I asked.
"The best way to dispose of it is you want to actually spray the droppings with some bleach and then let it sit," she explained. "And then, after letting it sit for awhile, then you can go ahead and wipe. We don't want to sweep because, again, if we sweep, you're going to create air particles that you could inhale."
Doctor Nguyen-Ward says symptoms can appear one to eight weeks after exposure, starting with fever and muscle aches and in severe cases, breathing problems.
I'll be continuing to follow this story and I'm staying on top of issues facing healthcare in our valley. If there's anything you'd like me to cover, you can send me an email at abel.garcia@ktnv.com.
