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Hantavirus Alert: Spanish Evacuee Tests Positive
12 May
Summary
- One Spanish evacuee shows preliminary positive for hantavirus.
- The patient is asymptomatic and remains in isolation.
- Thirteen other Spanish evacuees have tested negative.
One Spanish evacuee from the cruise ship MV Hondius has preliminarily tested positive for hantavirus. This individual is under isolation at a Madrid hospital, showing no symptoms and receiving clinical observation. Thirteen other Spanish evacuees evacuated to Madrid have tested provisionally negative.
The outbreak is suspected to involve the Andes strain of hantavirus, which can transmit between people. The virus is typically spread through rodents. The evacuees were transferred to Madrid following the ship's arrival in Spain's Canary Islands.
The European Commission is coordinating national authorities' response, with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control assessing the risk to the public as very low. Multiple repatriation flights have been facilitated by the EU, involving several European nations. Medical and transport capabilities are on standby.
Additional experts were deployed to the ship before passengers disembarked. The EU is collaborating with member states, international health organizations, and partners to manage the outbreak, emphasizing the need for cross-border coordination.
