A Canadian passenger from a cruise ship hit by a hantavirus outbreak has tested positive for the disease, bringing the total number of infections to 11, with three deaths reported.
The individual, who sailed on the MV Hondius, is one of four people isolating on Vancouver Island after leaving the ship and developed mild symptoms, according to health officials in British Columbia.
Hantavirus Outbreak
The cruise ship, which set sail from Argentina on April 1, had docked in Tenerife, Spain, less than a week ago, allowing passengers to leave and go into isolation, with the ship due to arrive in Rotterdam, Netherlands, on Monday.
Health officials say the risk of a major outbreak is very low, with hantavirus typically carried by rodents, but human transmission of the Andes strain, which the WHO believes some passengers contracted in South America, is possible.
Symptoms of the disease include fever, extreme fatigue, muscle aches, stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and shortness of breath, with the WHO recommending 42 days of isolation for each person.
Response and Precautions
Canadian health officer Bonnie Henry emphasized that hantavirus is a different virus than other respiratory viruses, and it does not have pandemic potential, with the individual who tested positive being from Yukon and the other five Canadians on the ship testing negative so far.
The Canadians were initially required to isolate for 21 days, but this timeline may be adjusted, with health officials closely monitoring the situation to prevent any further spread of the disease.
