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Canada Reports Presumptive Hantavirus Case Linked to MV Hondius Outbreak

Health officials say the wider public faces low risk.

Overview

  • British Columbia officials announced Saturday that a Yukon traveler from the MV Hondius tested presumptive positive and is stable in hospital isolation, with samples sent to the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg for confirmation.
  • The World Health Organization counts about 10 confirmed or probable cases tied to the cruise outbreak worldwide with three deaths, after revising an earlier tally.
  • U.S. health authorities are monitoring 41 people connected to the incident, including repatriated passengers and flight contacts, and report no confirmed U.S. cases so far.
  • Four Canadians linked to the ship are in strict isolation on Vancouver Island, with hospital patients in negative‑pressure rooms and active follow‑up planned for up to 42 days.
  • Andes hantavirus is carried by rodents, can cause severe lung illness, has rare person‑to‑person spread after prolonged close contact, and has no approved antivirals or vaccines, so treatment is supportive.