French Tourist Shows Symptoms After Hantavirus Cruise Trip

A French passenger evacuated from the cruise ship MV Hondius showed symptoms of hantavirus while returning to France. French authorities immediately isolated all five passengers travelling on the chartered flight from Tenerife to Paris. Medical teams wearing protective gear received them at Le Bourget Airport before ambulances transferred them to a hospital in Paris. Officials placed the group under strict quarantine for 72 hours and planned further medical evaluations. After the isolation period, authorities will ask them to self-isolate at home for 45 days.

More than 90 passengers and crew members left the Dutch cruise ship after it anchored near the Canary Islands. Authorities organised special repatriation flights for several countries, including France, Spain, the UK, the Netherlands, the US, Australia and Turkey. Spanish officials coordinated the evacuation with the World Health Organization to avoid further spread of the virus. Medical teams carefully moved passengers from the ship while everyone wore masks and protective equipment. Several evacuation flights departed throughout Sunday and Monday.

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French passenger shows hantavirus symptoms after cruise evacuation

Health officials confirmed that three passengers who travelled on the ship died after contracting the virus. Two British nationals with confirmed infections are receiving treatment in hospitals in the Netherlands and South Africa. Another British passenger with a suspected infection is being treated on the remote island of Tristan da Cunha. One American passenger also developed mild symptoms during evacuation, while another tested weakly positive for the Andes strain of hantavirus. Authorities transported both passengers in special containment units during the flight to the United States.

The Andes strain of hantavirus can spread between humans, unlike most hantavirus infections that mainly spread through rodents. Health experts believe some passengers contracted the virus while travelling in South America before boarding the ship. Common symptoms include fever, muscle pain, fatigue, vomiting, diarrhoea and breathing difficulties. Medical experts continue monitoring all passengers and crew members closely after their evacuation. Governments have also imposed quarantine rules for returning travellers to reduce infection risks.

The outbreak sparked concerns among local leaders in the Canary Islands after the ship arrived near Tenerife. Health experts said the incident highlighted the dangers of handling infectious outbreaks on cruise ships. Pandemic preparedness specialists warned that countries still need stronger systems for disease detection and emergency response. They stressed the importance of global cooperation to manage future outbreaks more effectively. After all passengers leave the vessel, the MV Hondius will sail to the Netherlands for deep disinfection and further investigation.

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