Canada confirms hantavirus case linked to MV Hondius cruise ship outbreak

Canadian public health officials have confirmed that a passenger aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship tested positive for the Andes hantavirus following an outbreak linked to the vessel.

In a statement issued Sunday, the Public Health Agency of Canada said the confirmed patient was among four Canadians travelling on the cruise ship, which departed Argentina on April 1 for a voyage across the Atlantic Ocean.

“One individual's sample was confirmed positive for hantavirus on May 16,” the agency said. Officials added that another Canadian passenger travelling with the confirmed case tested negative at the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg.

Health authorities said no additional cases have been identified so far.

The agency also said the overall risk to the general public in Canada remains low despite the latest confirmed infection connected to the MV Hondius outbreak.

The Andes strain is the only known type of hantavirus that can spread between people. Most hantavirus infections are typically linked to exposure to infected rodents or their droppings.

The outbreak aboard the MV Hondius has prompted monitoring by health agencies after cases were reported among passengers during the voyage.

Officials have also stressed that the situation is not comparable to the Covid-19 pandemic, even as authorities continue testing and contact tracing linked to the outbreak.

With AFP inputs