Canada Reports Presumptive Positive Andes Hantavirus Case From MV Hondius in British Columbia

Canadian public health officials said a high-risk passenger aboard the MV Hondius tested "presumptive positive" for the Andes hantavirus, with the Public Health Agency of Canada reporting the result from British Columbia.

“Canadian from hantavirus-hit cruise ship tests positive A Canadian who sailed on the cruise ship MV Hondius which was hit by a hantavirus outbreak in April has tested positive for the disease, officials in the province of British Columbia say”

BBC

France 24 said the patient was one of four Canadians on the hantavirus-stricken vessel that set sail on April 1 from Argentina across the Atlantic Ocean, and that the patient and spouse reported minor symptoms before being transported to a hospital on Friday.

BBC

The Toronto Star reported Dr. Bonnie Henry said the person is part of a couple from the Yukon isolating in British Columbia and developed "mild symptoms" on Thursday including a fever and a headache.

Henry said protocols were followed and both were brought to a hospital in Victoria, where late Friday evening tests on the individual with mild symptoms came back positive for the Andes strain.

The Public Health Agency of Canada stressed that the overall risk to the general population in Canada from the Andes hantavirus outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship remains low at this time.

Dr. Bonnie Henry told reporters the samples were sent to a national microbiology lab in Winnipeg for confirmatory testing, and said the patient is stable with symptoms remaining mild while the person is still in hospital in isolation.

The CBC reported Henry said the test came back with the presumptive positive result on Friday, and that it still needs to be confirmed by a national microbiology lab in Winnipeg but means the patient will be treated as having the illness.

CBC

Henry said out of an abundance of caution a third cruise passenger who was in isolation in B.C. has been transferred to hospital for monitoring, while the fourth person remains isolating at home.

The Toronto Star added that Henry said officials are considering how long they will have to isolate, but that they will be following the four individuals daily, actively, for at least 42 days.

The Public Health Agency of Canada said results from the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg are expected in the next two days and that the overall risk to the general population in Canada remains low at this time.

The BBC said the case brings the total number of infections to 11, all among cruise passengers, and that three people who travelled on the ship have died with two confirmed to have had the virus.

“FULL UPDATE | Canadian in isolation tests 'presumptive positive' for hantavirus after leaving cruise ship: B”

CBC

In the same reporting, the BBC quoted Dr. Bonnie Henry saying, "Clearly, this is not what we hoped for, but it is what we planned for," as the patient remained in isolation and was being monitored and receiving care as needed.

NBC News said the Public Health Agency of Canada announced the Canadian passenger tested positive for the Andes hantavirus and that the individual was hospitalized Thursday along with their spouse, who was also experiencing mild symptoms.

NBC News reported that samples were sent to the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg for confirmatory testing with results expected in two days, and that the agency said the overall risk to the general population in Canada remains low at this time.

The Guardian said the World Health Organization has recommended a 42-day quarantine period and noted that since 11 April, three people who were on board the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius have died of suspected hantavirus infections.