Laboratory tests have confirmed a positive case of the Andes strain of hantavirus in a Canadian resident who was a passenger aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship. The Yukon resident, who is in their 70s, is being treated in a Victoria, B.C. hospital, noted B.C.'s provincial health officer Bonnie Henry.
On Sunday, the Public Health Agency of Canada confirmed the results in a Yukon resident who was aboard the cruise ship where a hantavirus outbreak had occurred.
On Thursday, one of the four passengers from the ship quarantining in British Columbia developed symptoms, whom later received a “presumptive positive” test on Friday. Samples were sent to the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg, Man. for testing after B.C. health officials announced the presumptive positive test on Saturday, CTV News reported.
One person’s sample was confirmed positive, while their travel partner’s test came back negative. Two other passengers, including the Yukon resident’s partner, are also in hospital. The fourth passenger is isolating at home, CTV News reported.
“There have been no further cases identified at this time. All high-risk contacts are isolating and will continue to be monitored closely by local public health,” a statement from the Public Health Agency of Canada said.
Symptoms Include Fever, Headache
During a Saturday news conference, Henry said the Yukon resident who tested positive had developed mild symptoms on Thursday, which included a fever and headache. The public health agency has provided information about the positive test, which is the first in Canada, to the World Health Organization.
“The overall risk to the general population in Canada from the Andes hantavirus outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship remains low at this time,” the agency said. “All confirmed cases to date have been passengers or crew on the MV Hondius cruise ship. Given the severity of this virus, we are taking a precautionary approach to ensure Canadians are protected.”
Including the one Canadian, there have been 12 cases worldwide of the hantavirus that were linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship.
Dr. Joss Reimer, Canada’s chief public health officer, said 26 people across the country who were considered low risk were asked to monitor for symptoms, while another nine — which include the Yukon couple — were considered high risk. The high-risk individuals who are isolating and being monitored are in Ontario, Alberta and B.C.
