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.
The individual, one of four people isolating on Vancouver Island after leaving the ship, had developed mild symptoms.
The province's senior health officer stated that none of the four had come into contact with the public since arriving in Canada. The case increases the total number of infections linked to the cruise ship outbreak to eleven, with three individuals having died, two of whom were confirmed to have had the virus.
Dr. Bonnie Henry, the province's health officer, mentioned the test result for this individual is considered presumptive until confirmed by a national microbiology lab.
This is not what we hoped for, but it is what we planned for, Dr. Henry stated. She emphasized that hantavirus differs significantly from other respiratory viruses, such as COVID-19, influenza, or measles, and does not pose pandemic potential.
The MV Hondius had sailed from Argentina, docking in Tenerife on May 10, 2026, allowing passengers to isolate. The ship is scheduled to arrive in Rotterdam with no symptomatic cases reported on board at this time. According to the WHO, passengers should observe isolation for 42 days due to the virus's potential spread through rodent contact.
Health officials have reassured the public that the risk of a larger outbreak remains very low.
