Hantavirus Confirmed in Canadian Passenger from Cruise Ship Outbreak
A Canadian traveler from the hantavirus-affected cruise ship MV Hondius has tested positive for the disease while isolating on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
Canadian Passenger Tests Positive for Hantavirus After Cruise Ship Outbreak
British Columbia health officials have confirmed that a Canadian passenger who traveled aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius has tested positive for hantavirus, following an outbreak that struck the vessel in April. The individual is among four former passengers currently isolating on Vancouver Island after disembarking the ship.
Presumptive Positive Result Raises Concern
The infected traveler, who hails from Yukon, developed mild symptoms prior to receiving a presumptive positive result on Friday. While the finding still awaits final confirmation from a national microbiology laboratory, provincial health officials are treating the situation with caution. The new case brings the total number of confirmed and presumptive infections to 11, all of whom were passengers aboard the vessel.
Three individuals who traveled on the MV Hondius have since died, with hantavirus confirmed in two of those fatalities.
Public Not at Risk, Officials Say
British Columbia's chief health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, assured the public that none of the four isolating individuals had any contact with the general population since returning to Canada.
"Clearly, this is not what we hoped for, but it is what we planned for," Dr. Henry stated.
She was also careful to distinguish hantavirus from more familiar respiratory illnesses, noting that it behaves very differently from viruses such as COVID-19, influenza, or measles. Importantly, she emphasized that hantavirus is not considered to carry pandemic potential.
Six Canadians Were Aboard the Dutch Vessel
Of the six Canadian nationals who were on board the Dutch-owned MV Hondius, two are self-isolating at their home in Ontario. Two couples are isolating on Vancouver Island — one pair from British Columbia and the other from Yukon. The Yukon resident is the individual who has returned the positive test result. The remaining five Canadian passengers have so far tested negative.
The MV Hondius: Timeline of Events
The MV Hondius departed from Argentina on April 1st before eventually docking in Tenerife, in Spain's Canary Islands, where passengers were allowed to disembark and begin their isolation periods. The ship is scheduled to arrive in Rotterdam, Netherlands, on Monday, at which point the remaining crew members will also disembark. Oceanwide Expeditions, the vessel's owner, confirmed that no individuals currently on board are displaying symptoms.
About Hantavirus: What You Need to Know
Hantaviruses are primarily transmitted through contact with infected rodents. However, the Andes strain — the variant believed to have infected passengers during their time in South America — is one of the few strains capable of spreading between humans.
Common symptoms of hantavirus infection include:
- Fever and extreme fatigue
- Muscle aches and abdominal pain
- Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
- Shortness of breath
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended a 42-day isolation period for those exposed to the virus. Canadian passengers were initially placed under a 21-day isolation requirement, but Dr. Henry indicated that this timeline may now be extended in light of the new positive result.
Despite the confirmed case, public health officials maintain that the risk of a widespread outbreak remains very low.
