Canadians returning from a cruise ship plagued by a hantavirus outbreak were seen wearing protective gear as they disembarked. The MV Hondius, owned by Oceanwide Expeditions, reached port earlier today, with four Canadians among the roughly 130 asymptomatic passengers on board. The ship had been at the center of a deadly outbreak of hantavirus, specifically the Andes virus, resulting in eight cases and three deaths.
The Andes virus is a strain of hantavirus known to transmit from person to person, albeit with limited contagion. Health officials, including representatives from the World Health Organization, screened passengers at the port. The flight carrying the Canadians is bound for Saguenay-Bagotville Airport, near Quebec City.
Federal officials have reported that ten Canadians are connected to the outbreak. In addition to the passengers, three other Canadians may have had contact with infected individuals on a flight and have been instructed to isolate. A couple from Ontario had previously disembarked in late April, before the outbreak was detected, and are currently showing no symptoms while isolating for 45 days.
Hantaviruses are typically spread by rodents, and symptoms of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) can include fever, muscle aches, fatigue, headache, nausea, and shortness of breath. Health officials are emphasizing that the overall risk to the general Canadian population remains low, and that spread within Canada is not expected.
