A Canadian individual quarantined in British Columbia has tested positive for hantavirus after exposure aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship, according to provincial health officials. Dr. Bonnie Henry, the provincial health officer for British Columbia, reported that the individual began exhibiting mild symptoms, such as fever and headache, two days prior to the announcement. Both the affected individual and their partner, who had also been aboard the ship, were transported to a hospital in Victoria for thorough evaluation and testing.
Dr. Henry revealed that the preliminary test results received late Friday indicated a “presumptive positive” for hantavirus, with further confirmatory testing being conducted at the national microbiology lab in Winnipeg. Results from these tests were anticipated to be finalized over the weekend. Despite the unexpected result, Dr. Henry assured that it was within the province’s preparedness plans. She also confirmed that the patient’s condition is stable, with symptoms remaining mild, and that both the patient and their partner are in isolation at the hospital for ongoing monitoring and care. The partner tested negative but will remain hospitalized for further observation.
In addition, Dr. Henry mentioned that a third individual, who had been isolating with the couple, has also been moved to the hospital out of “an abundance of caution” for monitoring. The fourth person from the group continues to isolate at home under daily observation. All four Canadians had arrived in Victoria on May 10 after being on the Dutch cruise ship where the hantavirus outbreak was detected. Upon arrival, they were symptom-free and began a mandatory quarantine of at least 21 days.
Meanwhile, the Pasteur Institute in France announced that it has successfully sequenced the Andes virus found in a French passenger from the same cruise ship. The sequencing revealed that the virus closely resembles known strains in South America, showing no new characteristics that would increase its transmissibility or severity. The genomic analysis confirmed that the virus in the French passenger matched those in other cases on the ship and was about 97% similar to some Andes virus samples found in South American rodents.
Jean-Claude Manuguerra, leading Pasteur’s environment and infectious risk unit, noted that the observed variation in the virus appeared to be natural and did not alter its known characteristics. The outbreak aboard the MV Hondius has already resulted in the deaths of three individuals, a Dutch couple and a German woman, due to suspected hantavirus infections since April 11.