A Canadian who sailed on the cruise ship MV Hondius, which was hit by a hantavirus outbreak in April, has tested positive for the disease, as announced by officials in British Columbia. The individual is one of four people currently isolating on Vancouver Island after leaving the ship, developing mild symptoms after their return. British Columbia's senior health officer confirmed that none of the four had interacted with the public since their arrival in Canada.
This latest infection brings the total number of confirmed hantavirus cases to 11 among cruise passengers, with three reported deaths, two of which have been linked to the virus. The health officer reported a presumptive positive test, pending confirmation from a national microbiology lab.
Dr. Bonnie Henry, the province's health officer, noted, Clearly, this is not what we hoped for, but it is what we planned for.
She further underlined that hantavirus differs significantly from other respiratory viruses, such as COVID-19 and influenza, and does not pose pandemic potential. Of the six Canadians aboard the ship, two are now self-isolating in Ontario, and two couples are isolating on Vancouver Island, including the one confirmed case from Yukon.
The cruise ship, which set sail from Argentina on April 1, docked in Tenerife less than a week ago, allowing passengers to leave and enter isolation. The ship is expected to arrive in Rotterdam shortly, with no symptomatic individuals reported to remain on board.
With hantavirus typically carried by rodents, its transmission to humans is suspected to have occurred with the specific Andes strain in South America. Symptoms may include fever, fatigue, muscle aches, and respiratory complications, though health authorities assert that the risk of a major outbreak remains very low.
This latest infection brings the total number of confirmed hantavirus cases to 11 among cruise passengers, with three reported deaths, two of which have been linked to the virus. The health officer reported a presumptive positive test, pending confirmation from a national microbiology lab.
Dr. Bonnie Henry, the province's health officer, noted, Clearly, this is not what we hoped for, but it is what we planned for.
She further underlined that hantavirus differs significantly from other respiratory viruses, such as COVID-19 and influenza, and does not pose pandemic potential. Of the six Canadians aboard the ship, two are now self-isolating in Ontario, and two couples are isolating on Vancouver Island, including the one confirmed case from Yukon.
The cruise ship, which set sail from Argentina on April 1, docked in Tenerife less than a week ago, allowing passengers to leave and enter isolation. The ship is expected to arrive in Rotterdam shortly, with no symptomatic individuals reported to remain on board.
With hantavirus typically carried by rodents, its transmission to humans is suspected to have occurred with the specific Andes strain in South America. Symptoms may include fever, fatigue, muscle aches, and respiratory complications, though health authorities assert that the risk of a major outbreak remains very low.
