Pakistan, May 4 -- Three cruise ship passengers have died and three others fallen ill following a suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard a Netherlands-based expedition vessel, according to health authorities and media reports.

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Oceanwide Expeditions said it was managing a serious medical situation on its polar expedition ship, MV Hondius, which was reported to be off the coast of Cape Verde in the Atlantic Ocean. The vessel had departed from Argentina around three weeks earlier with approximately 150 passengers on board and had visited Antarctica and other destinations before reaching the region.

A spokesperson for the Dutch Foreign Ministry confirmed that two of the deceased were Dutch ...