Two More Cruise Ship Passengers Test Positive for Hantavirus

Two passengers from France and the US have tested positive for hantavirus after being evacuated from a cruise ship in the Canary Islands. According to French Health Minister Stephanie Rist, a French woman who was on board the MV Hondius has tested positive for the virus, with her condition deteriorating.

Rist stated that the key is to act quickly and break transmission chains. The decree issued today will allow authorities to strengthen isolation measures for contact cases and protect the population.

Four other French passengers have so far tested negative, while 22 contact cases have been identified. In the US, two American passengers on a repatriation flight have tested “mildly positive” for the virus, with one showing mild symptoms. Both were traveling in biocontainment units out of caution and will undergo clinical assessment upon arrival.

The total number of reported cases to the World Health Organization (WHO) has increased to nine, with two confirmed deaths and one probable death. Four people are currently hospitalized, including one in intensive care in South Africa.

The MV Hondius was anchored near Tenerife after being stranded for weeks due to an outbreak of hantavirus on board. Authorities have been monitoring passengers who disembarked from the ship before the outbreak was identified. On Monday, 54 passengers and crew remained on the ship, with 22 expected to disembark and 32 remaining.

A Dutch plane is scheduled to arrive at Tenerife on Monday afternoon, carrying passengers previously set to be evacuated by a plane sent by Australia. Hantaviruses can cause severe respiratory illness and are usually spread by rodents, but can also be transmitted between people. Symptoms may begin within one to eight weeks after exposure and include headaches, fever, chills, gastrointestinal issues, and respiratory distress.

The WHO has recommended a 42-day quarantine for cruise passengers. Experts emphasize the need for calm, noting that the virus is less contagious than COVID-19. The risk to the public is considered “extremely low” by Robin May, chief scientific officer at the UK Health Security Agency.

Source: Al Jazeera