This is an LA Times Studios podcast.

Six years after a cruise ship outbreak of COVID-19 sparked a global pandemic, fears of a similar

health crisis are emerging. It all started in mid-April when a passenger onboard the M.V.

Hondias cruise ship died of Haunted virus during a week's long journey from Argentina

toward Antarctica.

And that was kind of like the first inclinnings of something isn't entirely right on this

cruise ship.

That's our colleague Karen Garcia, who's been covering the

Haunted Virus outbreak for the times. Since then, the World Health Organization says there

have been 11 total cases, including three deaths, all among passengers or crew members. Here are the

facts. Haunta virus is a rare disease, but has a high fatality rate between 30 and 40%.

It's usually contracted through contact with rodent droppings.

But the strain that infected those on board the luxury crews, the Andes hauntavirus, can be spread from person to person.

In the past few days, CDC has reiterated the saying that it's sharing toothbrushes,

sharing things, sharing saliva, sharing secretions. Dr. Craig Spencer is an ER doctor and public health

expert at Brown University with a deep understanding of infectious diseases. In 2014, he survived

Ebola while treating patients in West Africa.

And this really brings home how incredibly interconnected our world is.

And I know that is so cliche.

But we've said in the past that viruses don't respect borders.

They don't respect planes.

They don't respect boats or cruise ships either.

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