North American hantavirus case linked to cruise ship prompts health review
A Canadian passenger on the MV Hondius cruise tested positive for hantavirus, marking the first North American case linked to the voyage and the 10th overall from the ship’s outbreak. One of four Canadians who returned home received a presumptive positive and is undergoing further testing; the other three remain in isolation, with two elderly travelers hospitalized in Victoria. Officials say the overall risk to the Canadian public remains low, as hantavirus is typically rodent-borne, though the Andes strain has shown limited human-to-human transmission in early illness. Isolation rules are being reassessed and investigations continue.
