A Canadian individual being monitored in British Columbia has tested positive for hantavirus, officials announced on Saturday. This person, one of four Canadians who were quarantined in the province after exposure to the virus aboard a cruise ship, began experiencing mild symptoms such as fever and headache two days ago. Dr. Bonnie Henry, British Columbia’s provincial health officer, confirmed the individual and their partner were taken to a hospital in Victoria for assessment and testing. Although the test returned a positive result, Henry emphasized it is considered a “presumptive positive” pending confirmation from the national microbiology lab in Winnipeg, with results expected over the weekend.
Dr. Henry explained that while the outcome was not ideal, it was anticipated. “Clearly this is not what we hoped for, but it is what we planned for,” she said. The patient remains stable with mild symptoms and is under isolation in hospital care. Meanwhile, the partner of the infected individual tested negative but will stay in the hospital for further observation. As a precautionary measure, another individual from the same lodging has been hospitalized for monitoring, while the fourth person continues to isolate at home with daily check-ins.
The four Canadians were part of the group on the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius, where the hantavirus outbreak occurred. They arrived in Victoria on May 10 and were initially symptom-free. Upon arrival, they were immediately quarantined for a minimum period of 21 days. The virus, known as the Andes virus, was analyzed by France’s Pasteur Institute, which confirmed that its genome matches already known strains in South America and does not exhibit any new, more transmissible, or dangerous characteristics. The viruses detected in the cruise ship passengers were found to be about 97% similar to other Andes virus strains found in South America, including those from rodents.
Jean-Claude Manuguerra from Pasteur’s environment and infectious risk unit noted that the slight differences in the virus are likely due to natural variations and do not impact its characteristics among the travelers. Since April 11, three people associated with the MV Hondius cruise ship, including a Dutch couple and a German woman, have died from suspected hantavirus infections, highlighting the severity of the outbreak and the importance of monitoring and containment measures.