A French passenger evacuated from the hantavirus-hit cruise ship MV Hondius developed symptoms of the disease while returning to France, raising fresh concerns among health authorities monitoring the international outbreak.
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said the passenger showed symptoms during a chartered evacuation flight from Tenerife to Paris. Following the incident, all five French nationals evacuated from the ship were immediately placed into strict isolation.
After landing at Le Bourget Airport in Paris, medical teams wearing full personal protective equipment met the passengers on the runway before transferring them by ambulance to Bichat Hospital for quarantine and medical evaluation.
French authorities said the passengers would remain isolated for 72 hours before undergoing further monitoring at home for 45 days.
The outbreak aboard the MV Hondius has already been linked to three deaths, with two victims confirmed to have contracted hantavirus. The ship had anchored near the Canary Islands as countries coordinated emergency evacuation flights for passengers and crew members from several nations.
In Madrid, 14 Spanish nationals were transferred to a military hospital for mandatory quarantine. British passengers flown to Manchester reported no symptoms so far, though the UK Health Security Agency said they continue to be monitored closely.
The United States also evacuated 18 people from the cruise. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, one American passenger began showing mild symptoms of hantavirus while another tested mildly positive for the Andes strain of the virus. Both were transported using special biocontainment units as a precaution.
Additional evacuation flights carrying passengers from countries including the Netherlands, Australia, Turkey and Ireland were also arranged as authorities worked to contain any further spread of the disease.
Hantavirus is a rare but potentially deadly disease commonly spread through infected rodents or exposure to their droppings. Severe cases can cause serious respiratory illness and require intensive medical treatment.
Health officials across multiple countries are continuing to track and monitor all passengers returning from the cruise ship as investigations into the source of the outbreak continue.
