By Staff, Agencies

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has classified the ongoing hantavirus situation as a “Level 3” emergency response, according to reporting from ABC News.

This designation represents the lowest tier of emergency activation, indicating that while the situation is being actively monitored, the risk to the general public remains considered low.

The activation means an emergency operations team has been established to coordinate monitoring and response efforts.

Global health authorities, including the World Health Organization, are also involved in efforts to contain an outbreak of hantavirus linked to the cruise vessel MV Hondius.

The outbreak, associated with the Andes strain of hantavirus, has resulted in five confirmed infections, three suspected cases and three deaths among passengers connected to the voyage.

The MV Hondius, carrying around 150 passengers and crew from 23 nationalities, departed from Argentina and crossed the Atlantic before the illness cluster was identified while the ship was sailing off the coast of Cape Verde.