The virus is mainly spread by inhaling airborne particles from infected rats' and mice's urine, saliva or droppings while cleaning dusty storerooms, warehouses, farms or old buildings.
Early symptoms such as fever, body aches, nausea and fatigue can resemble flu, dengue, Covid or food poisoning, delaying treatment; prevention centres on rodent control, ventilation, gloves and masks.
It starts like the flu but can have a 40% death rate. What is the key to surviving this silent killer?
A deadly rodent virus now spreads between people. Could this cruise ship outbreak signal a new kind of global health threat?
As animal viruses increasingly jump to humans, are outbreaks like this the beginning of our new normal?