2 more cruise ship passengers test positive for hantavirus

Key Points:

• Passengers from the MV Hondius cruise ship, affected by a hantavirus outbreak, are being repatriated and quarantined worldwide, with at least six confirmed cases and three deaths reported by the WHO.
• A French woman and an asymptomatic American tested positive for the hantavirus; the French woman’s condition worsened after repatriation, while American passengers are under observation at a specialized medical center in Nebraska.
• The WHO emphasizes that the risk to the general public is low, advising close monitoring and daily health checks for former passengers, and highlights early detection and treatment as key to improving survival rates.
• The outbreak involves the Andes virus strain, which may rarely spread between people, and symptoms typically appear one to eight weeks after exposure; health authorities continue evacuation and quarantine efforts for passengers from over 20 countries.
• The ship’s captain praised the crew and passengers for their resilience during the crisis and expressed condolences for those who died, while health officials stress that this outbreak should not cause public panic.