Hantavirus outbreak on cruise ship kills three passengers
The Facts
The World Health Organization has confirmed two cases of hantavirus on a cruise ship, with five additional suspected cases. Among the total of seven cases, three people have died, one is critically ill, and three have mild symptoms. The WHO has indicated that the virus may have spread between passengers on the ship.
How different outlets are framing this
The coverage shows notable differences in emphasis and framing between the two outlets. BBC News focuses on the unusual nature of human-to-human transmission, highlighting in both its headline and body text that hantavirus 'rarely spreads between humans,' which frames this as an exceptional medical event. The BBC presents the story primarily as a medical anomaly worthy of attention due to its rarity. Al Jazeera takes a more straightforward news approach, emphasizing the current situation with specific numbers and the ship's stranded status, treating it more as a developing health crisis. Al Jazeera provides more detailed information about the range of symptoms and patient conditions, offering a more comprehensive picture of the outbreak's impact, while BBC focuses more narrowly on the transmission aspect that makes this case medically significant.
Source Articles
- BBC News5 May, 12:52Hantavirus may have spread between passengers on cruise ship, WHO says
Two cases of the virus, which rarely spreads between humans, have been confirmed on the ship, and three people have died.
- Al Jazeera5 May, 11:00Two hantavirus cases confirmed, five more suspected on stranded cruise ship
Among the seven cases, three people have died, one is critically ill and three have mild symptoms, the WHO says.