Pasteur sequencing ties Hondius Andes virus to existing South American strains
France's Pasteur Institute fully sequenced the Andes virus from a passenger on the MV Hondius and found it matches known South American strains, with no evidence of features that would make it more transmissible or dangerous. The virus detected in ship patients was identical to each other and about 97% similar to South American samples, and Pasteur will share the data with the international scientific community to aid monitoring. The cruise outbreak now involves 11 cases, with three deaths, and health officials say exposure likely occurred during the South America visit.
