Two cases of hantavirus which spreads human-to-human linked to ship, South Africa says

JOHANNESBURG, May 6 (Reuters) - ​South ⁠Africa has identified ​the Andes strain of ​hantavirus, ‌which spreads human-to-human, in two ⁠people who came ⁠off a ​cruise ship hit by an outbreak of the disease, ​the ‌health minister's presentation to parliament showed on Wednesday.

The ship, the ​MV Hondius, was ‌preparing to travel from Cape Verde towards Europe ‌on Wednesday after the Spanish government gave permission for ​it to dock in ‌the Canary Islands.

Other strains of hantavirus are more ⁠commonly ⁠transmitted to humans ‌through contact with infected rodents ​or ​their urine, droppings ‌or saliva. (Reporting by Sfundo Parakozov; Editing by Tim Cocks and Andrew Heavens)