Canada Confirms First Hantavirus Case Linked To Outbreak On Cruise Ship
Canada Confirms First Hantavirus Case Linked To Outbreak On Cruise Ship Published By, Last Updated: May 17, 2026, 05:59 IST Canada confirms a hantavirus case
Canada Confirms First Hantavirus Case Linked To Outbreak On Cruise Ship Published By, Last Updated: May 17, 2026, 05:59 IST Canada confirms a hantavirus case in British Columbia linked to MV Hondius, one passenger in their 70s is stable in hospital, WHO urges 42 day quarantine for exposed passengers Rapid Read The hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius is pictured docked in the port of Granadilla de Abona on the island of Tenerife in Spain's Canary Islands on May 11, 2026. (Image credits: JORGE GUERRERO / AFP) Canadian health authorities have confirmed a positive case of hantavirus in British Columbia linked to the outbreak aboard the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius, officials said on Friday.
The infected person, a passenger in their 70s, developed mild symptoms including fever and headache and was admitted to a hospital in Victoria for monitoring. Confirmatory tests are being carried out at Canada’s Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg. The patient was among four Canadians who returned to British Columbia on May 10 after travelling on the MV Hondius, where a hantavirus outbreak has already claimed three lives, including a Dutch couple and a German woman. The group had been isolating under medical supervision since their arrival. British Columbia’s provincial health officer Dr Bonnie Henry said the patient remains stable and that there is no increased risk to the general public.
The patient’s partner tested negative but remains under observation in hospital, while another exposed individual has also been admitted for precautionary monitoring, the officer added. The World Health Organization has recommended a 42-day quarantine period for passengers exposed to the Andes strain of hantavirus, a rare variant that can spread between humans in limited cases. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location: Canada First Published: May 17, 2026, 05:59 IST News world Canada Confirms First Hantavirus Case Linked To Outbreak On Cruise Ship Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s.
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