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France and Netherlands Report Negative Tests in Cruise-Linked Hantavirus Probe

Health officials describe low risk to the public, with contacts isolated for monitoring.

Overview

  • France said 26 identified contacts tied to the MV Hundius cluster tested negative and remain in hospital isolation.
  • Dutch authorities reported that evacuees who reached the Netherlands after routes via Saint Helena and Johannesburg tested negative, including contacts of a Dutch passenger who was taken off a flight and later died in South Africa.
  • French doctors confirmed a fifth French passenger tested positive for hantavirus and is in serious condition at a French hospital.
  • Official counts list three deaths and six confirmed infections worldwide, with one possible case and a U.S. passenger who developed symptoms but later tested negative.
  • Hantaviruses spread to people from rodents and outbreaks are rare, which helps explain the broad cross-border testing and isolation.