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Emily Mae Czachor

News Editor

Emily Mae Czachor is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. She typically covers breaking news, extreme weather and issues involving social justice. Emily Mae previously wrote for outlets like the Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed and Newsweek.

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Updated on: May 6, 2026 / 7:10 AM EDT / CBS News

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A hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean has raised questions about how the rare, often fatal illness could have spread among passengers and crew, and whether it may continue to infect some 150 people now stranded aboard the vessel.

While typically transmitted to humans through contact with contaminated rodent waste, health officials say it is possible for transmission to take place between people, albeit on a very limited basis.…