France Reports All 26 Hantavirus Contacts Test Negative as Global Monitoring Continues

Overview

• France, which reported Thursday that all 26 identified contacts tested negative, will keep them in hospital isolation through the incubation window with repeat testing.
• One French passenger from the MV Hondius remains in intensive care in Paris with a severe cardiopulmonary form of the disease that requires advanced life support.
• The World Health Organization counts 11 cases linked to the cruise cluster with three deaths and says the risk to the general population is low.
• Genomic checks identify the Andes strain known for rare person‑to‑person spread and so far show no signs of mutation compared with prior sequences.
• Authorities are applying long quarantines because incubation can stretch to 42 days and there is no vaccine or specific treatment.