Health officials in France have isolated cruise ship passengers after one evacuee developed symptoms linked to the hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius.
A French passenger evacuated from the virus-hit MV Hondius cruise ship has shown symptoms of hantavirus during a repatriation flight from Tenerife to Paris, French authorities confirmed.
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said the passenger became ill while travelling from the Canary Islands, forcing officials to immediately place all five French evacuees into strict isolation.
After landing at Le Bourget Airport in Paris, emergency teams wearing protective gear escorted the passengers to Bichat Hospital. French authorities said the group will remain under quarantine for at least 72 hours before further medical assessments determine the next phase of isolation.
The hantavirus cruise ship outbreak has already claimed three lives, with two deaths confirmed to be linked to the Andes strain of the virus. More than 90 passengers and crew members have now been evacuated from the Dutch cruise vessel as countries continue large-scale repatriation efforts.
British passengers have returned to Manchester and remain under medical monitoring, while Spanish nationals are quarantining in Madrid. US health officials also confirmed that one American passenger showed mild symptoms and another tested mildly positive for the virus during evacuation operations.
The World Health Organization believes some passengers may have contracted the virus during the ship’s South American journey. Unlike most hantavirus strains, the Andes variant can spread between humans, raising global health concerns.
Health authorities insist the risk to the public remains low, but strict quarantine and monitoring measures are continuing as passengers from the MV Hondius cruise ship return to their home countries.