WHO: Seven cases of hantavirus confirmed from cruise ship

LONDON - Seven cases of the Andes hantavirus have now been confirmed among people who were passengers on board the cruise ship, the World Health Organization said on Monday.

The agency updated its overall tally of reported cases to nine on Monday, a WHO spokesperson said by email, after France reported that a French passenger evacuated from the MV Hondius had tested positive for the virus.

A further two of the nine cases are suspected to be hantavirus, including the person who is believed to have been the first one infected in the outbreak. He died before he could be tested. In total, three people have died in the outbreak, the WHO said.

-Jennifer Rigby; Editing by Toby Chopra/Reuters