Two patients with hantavirus and one suspected of being infected were being evacuated from a cruise ship to the Netherlands on Wednesday, the U.N. health agency said. The vessel at the center of a deadly outbreak remained off Cape Verde with nearly 150 people on board waiting to head to Spain’s Canary Islands. Associated Press footage showed health workers in protective gear heading to the ship for the evacuation that included the ship’s British doctor, who Spain’s health ministry said had been in “serious condition” but has improved. An air ambulance later departed. Three people have died, and one body remained on the ship, the World Health Organization said. Of the eight cases recorded, five were confirmed by laboratory testing. Hantavirus usually spreads by inhaling contaminated rodent droppings and can spread person-to-person, though that is rare, according to the WHO, whose top epidemic expert said the risk to the public is low.

Full report : 3 patients are being evacuated to Europe from cruise ship with hantavirus outbreak.