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Global Hantavirus Alert: American and French Evacuees from Outbreak-Hit Cruise Ship Test Positive
A French woman and an American national evacuated from the MV Hondius cruise ship have tested positive for hantavirus, officials confirmed on Monday. The American patient specifically carries the Andes virus strain, which is uniquely capable of human-to-human transmission. This latest development follows the tragic deaths of three pPassengers—a Dutch couple and a German woman—as international health authorities race to quarantine evacuees and disinfect the vessel.
ND
by News Desk
2026-05-11
Global Hantavirus Alert: American and French Evacuees from Outbreak-Hit Cruise Ship Test Positive

Health officials have confirmed that an American national and a French woman evacuated from the MV Hondius cruise ship have tested positive for hantavirus. This news comes as a massive, multi-nation repatriation effort enters its final stages to bring home nearly 150 passengers and crew from the outbreak-hit vessel.

New Cases and Fatalities

The situation has grown increasingly serious with the confirmation of new infections across borders:

  • The French Case: One of five French nationals flown back to Paris tested positive after feeling unwell on Sunday night.

  • The American Cases: One American evacuee has tested positive for the Andes virus—the only hantavirus strain known to spread from person to person. Another American is currently showing mild symptoms.

  • The Deceased: The outbreak has already claimed the lives of a Dutch couple and a German woman.

Global Contact Tracing & Quarantine

Authorities are in a "race against time" to track passengers who may have been exposed on connecting flights.

  • Flight Risks: French Health Minister Stephanie Rist identified 22 contact cases, specifically focusing on two flights: one from Saint Helena to Johannesburg (April 25) and another from Johannesburg to Amsterdam.

  • Varying Protocols: Countries are taking different approaches to safety. While Greece and Spain are enforcing 40+ day quarantines, the UK is holding citizens for 72 hours of testing. In contrast, U.S. officials are allowing their 17 citizens to choose home isolation, a move the WHO warned "may have risks."

The Repatriation Operation

Currently docked at the industrial port of Granadilla in Tenerife, the MV Hondius has been the center of a complex logistical mission.

  • Evacuation: Passengers were seen disembarking in blue medical hazmat suits to board repatriation flights to 19 different countries.

  • The Ship's Departure: Under pressure from local Canary Island authorities and looming bad weather, the ship is scheduled to depart for the Netherlands with 30 crew members at 11:00 PM PKT on Monday.

  • The Origin Mystery: While the ship set sail from Ushuaia, Argentina, in April, Argentine officials have questioned if the outbreak truly started there, citing the virus's long incubation period.
Tagged:

#Hantavirus #MVHondius #BreakingNews #PublicHealth #AndesVirus #CruiseOutbreak #Tenerife #WHO #Epidemic2026 #HealthAlert #Repatriation #GlobalNews #MedicalEmergency #Quarantine #InfectiousDisease #FranceNews #USHealth #TravelAlert #OutbreakAlert
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