The WHO has linked the cruise ship hantavirus outbreak to the Andes virus, a rare strain that can spread between people. The finding has sharpened focus on containment at sea even as the wider public health risk remains low.

Health authorities raced Tuesday to find a port for a cruise ship battling a hantavirus outbreak, as it remained off the West African coast with passengers isolating after three people died. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization said it suspects some rare human to human transmission of the virus took place between close contacts on board the ship.