STORY: U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday (May 8) the situation appeared to be "under very good control" when asked about the hantavirus.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday that eight people had fallen ill, including three who died, in a hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship, with six confirmed cases and two probable cases.

The ship had 147 passengers and crew on board when the outbreak was first reported on May 2, while 34 others had already left the vessel.

WHO officials have confirmed that some of the cases on the ship are caused by the Andes strain of hantavirus, the only version that can spread between people, usually through prolonged and close contact with a person who is showing symptoms. The agency said the risk to the wider global population is low, but the risk to passengers and crew on the ship is moderate.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (MAY 8, 2026) (U.S. NETWORK POOL - No use USA)

1. U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, TALKING WITH JOURNALISTS

2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, IN EXCHANGE WITH JOURNALIST:

JOURNALIST ASKING (OFF CAMERA): "Will you reconsider leaving the World Health Organization because of the outbreak of hantavirus?"

TRUMP: "No we seem to have things under very good control. They know that virus very well. Its been around a long time, not easily transferable, unlike COVID. But we'll see, we're studying it very closely. We have very good people studying it very closely."

3. TRUMP WALKING TOWARDS HELICOPTER