- A French national evacuated from a cruise ship struck by a hantavirus outbreak has exhibited symptoms of the disease during repatriation, French officials confirmed Sunday. The individual was among five citizens being flown from Tenerife to Paris following an emergency evacuation from the MV Hondius, a Dutch vessel currently anchored off the Canary Islands. According to reports from the Associated Press and BBC News, the passenger began showing signs of illness while aboard a chartered flight, prompting immediate medical intervention upon landing.
The French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs stated that all five passengers on the flight have been placed in strict isolation at the Bichat hospital in Paris. The group will undergo a detailed clinical assessment and remain in quarantine for 72 hours. Following this initial period, they will be required to self-isolate at their homes for 45 days to ensure no further spread of the virus. Officials wearing full personal protective equipment were seen meeting the aircraft at Le Bourget Airport before transporting the passengers via ambulance.
The situation aboard the MV Hondius has become a matter of international concern after three passengers died during the voyage. Medical examinations confirmed that at least two of the deceased had contracted hantavirus. This has triggered a massive logistical operation to repatriate more than 90 tourists to their respective home countries. In addition to the French cases, Spanish authorities have moved 14 of their citizens to a military hospital in Madrid for mandatory quarantine. British nationals who returned to Manchester are also being monitored by the UK Health Security Agency, though none have reported symptoms thus far.
The United States has also reported complications during the evacuation process. The US Department of Health and Human Services confirmed that of the 18 people flown back to the States, one individual showed mild symptoms while another tested positive for the Andes strain of the hantavirus. Both passengers were isolated in specialized biocontainment units during the flight as a precautionary measure. Meanwhile, repatriation efforts continue for citizens of the Netherlands, Australia, and Ireland. Public health experts note that while hantavirus is typically transmitted through contact with rodents, the specifics of the transmission on the cruise ship remain under investigation. The sudden appearance of symptoms in multiple repatriated groups suggests a high level of exposure among those who were on board the vessel.
