Monday, May 4th Edition

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Today’s Big Story

Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship

 

Virus spread by rodents is also believed to have sickened three others, WHO says

 

Maybe it’s the pandemic trauma, but seeing all these headlines about a possible hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship has made me a little nervous. On Sunday, the World Health Organization said hantavirus—a rare disease often caused by contact with droppings from infected rodents—was confirmed in one case on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean and suspected in five others. Three people died, one passenger was in intensive care in South Africa, and two ailing crew members remained on board and were in need of urgent medical care, the cruise line Oceanwide Expeditions said.

It’s most commonly transmitted by breathing in particles of dried rodent droppings or urine. But in rare cases, it may spread among people, according to the CDC. However, hantaviruses found throughout the United States are not known to spread among people. Last year the virus killed Betsy Arakawa, the wife of Gene Hackman.

Symptoms usually start with fatigue, fever and muscle aches, but can also include headaches, dizziness, chills and additional problems such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. The disease can then progress to coughing, shortness of breath and tightness in the chest as the lungs fill with fluid. More than one third of patients may die from serious respiratory infections known as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

How common is it? Well, the disease was first characterized in the United States in 1993 after an outbreak in the Four Corners area of the Southwest by a team of CDC staffers and local New Mexico clinicians. Fourteen people ultimately died in the outbreak. The disease is most frequently reported in the western United States, and particularly the Southwest, where deer mice are common. But the hantavirus family is also a concern in Europe and Asia, where a different version of the virus is spread by other rodent species, and can cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. Just to be safe, I might pick up a fresh pack of face masks.

 
FYI:

Going on a cruise? Follow these expert tips to avoid getting sick on the high seas.

U.S. Will Guide Ships Through Strait of Hormuz

 

A senior Iranian official warned the plan violates the ceasefire

President Donald Trump said the U.S. Navy will start guiding ships from foreign countries through the Strait of Hormuz from today and warned that if Iran tries to disrupt the process, the American military will use force. This move, which Trump called “Project Freedom,” is the most significant step by his administration to try and reopen the key strait since Iran shut it down early in the war.

Trump did not provide details about the plan, what actions the U.S. would undertake to facilitate the exit of ships or how many vessels are set to exit through the strait. It was not clear from his statement whether the U.S. would only provide ship captains information to guide them to safe routes through the strait or take more active measures. According to CNN, top Iranian official Ebrahim Azizi warned the plan is a violation of the ceasefire.

The U.S. sent on Sunday another amended draft for an agreement to end the war in response to Iranian officials' latest proposal, multiple sources told reporters. The White House knows that the sooner this war ends, the better. Trump’s disapproval rating has just hit a new high, a Washington Post-ABC-Ipsos poll just found. And much of that has to do with Iran and how it’s affected the economy.

 
Meanwhile:

Oil prices are largely unmoved following Trump’s announcement. How high could they go in May?

Partner

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Clockwise, from top left:

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Explore:
 
More great Mother's Day gift options from Summer Fridays

Spirit Airlines Shutdown

 

A TikToker rallies pledges to buy the carrier after its abrupt weekend collapse

Spirit Airlines was once a potent force in the American aviation ecosystem. Its demise will reveal how strong that influence had been in recent years when air travel had already begun moving away from the low-fare model that Spirit pioneered. The airline’s shutdown over the weekend (after years of financial troubles) resulted in the loss of 17,000 part-time and full-time jobs, and disrupted the plans of tens of thousands of travelers.

Can it be revived? That’s what some fans are hoping for as a TikToker has announced calls for regular people to rally together to purchase the airline. Within hours the former frequent Spirit flyer had thrown up a website. TechCrunch said it’s “a janky, one-hour job, by his own admission, but by Sunday, 36,000 founding patrons had pledged nearly $23 million, crashing his servers in the process.” And now, it’s already got more than $88 million in “unverified pledges,” so who knows what’ll happen.

 
Dig Deeper:

CNBC goes inside the strange final hours of Spirit Airlines.

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Today’s Member Extras

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Morning Motto

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