Three Canadians linked to a hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship are now isolating in Ontario and Quebec, health officials confirmed Thursday. Two of the individuals were passengers on the MV Hondius, while the third had contact with a symptomatic person but is not considered high-risk by the World Health Organization.
Outbreak Details
The WHO reported that 30 passengers disembarked the ship on the remote South Atlantic island of St. Helena on April 24 during the outbreak. Four additional Canadians remain on board and will depart with other passengers in the Canary Islands, where the ship is expected to arrive on Sunday.
The MV Hondius, a Dutch cruise ship, had been on a weeklong polar voyage from Argentina to Antarctica before heading to Cape Verde and then the Canary Islands. The ship carries 88 passengers and 59 crew members from 23 nationalities. To date, there have been five confirmed and three suspected cases of hantavirus, resulting in three deaths.
Government Response
In a joint statement, Foreign Minister Anita Anand and Health Minister Marjorie Michel confirmed that the Public Health Agency of Canada is working with international partners to ensure proper protocols are followed. The two Canadians who returned home before the outbreak was identified are in Ontario, while the third individual, who was on the same flight as a symptomatic person, is in Quebec. All three are asymptomatic and have been advised to self-isolate while being monitored by local authorities.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that Canadian authorities are following up on the two Canadians who disembarked at St. Helena and the four still on the ship. WHO epidemiologist Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove added that they are working with countries to plan safe journeys for patients once they are medically evaluated.
