PHAC confirms Andes hantavirus case linked to MV Hondius cruise ship
PHAC confirmed an Andes hantavirus case in B.C. linked to the MV Hondius; officials say risk is low and exposed passengers face a 21-day quarantine, and WHO has been notified.
A federal public health agency confirmed Sunday that laboratory testing identified an Andes hantavirus infection in a passenger who recently traveled aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius. The case, now confirmed by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), involves a septuagenarian from the Yukon who was removed from the ship after symptoms developed and is receiving hospital care in British Columbia. PHAC and provincial authorities say the immediate risk to the general Canadian public remains low while contact tracing and quarantine measures continue.
PHAC confirms Andes hantavirus case
PHAC issued a press statement confirming that laboratory analyses identified the Andes hantavirus in a passenger from the MV Hondius cruise ship. The agency said it has shared details with provincial and local public health partners and has notified the World Health Organization as part of routine international reporting. Officials stressed that laboratory confirmation allows public health teams to refine their response while maintaining precautions to protect Canadians.
Patient condition and hospital care
The infected passenger, described by provincial health officials as a woman in her seventies from the Yukon, was hospitalized after the onset of respiratory and systemic symptoms consistent with hantavirus infection. Authorities say she was transported from the ship under established protocols to ensure safe transfer and evaluation at a local hospital in British Columbia. Health officials did not provide specific clinical details but indicated that treatment is being coordinated with federal and international partners.
Second traveller tests negative
PHAC reported that a second person who had been travelling with the confirmed case has tested negative for the virus. Provincial officials had earlier characterized the original finding as a presumed positive pending federal laboratory confirmation, and the negative result for the second traveller reduces the number of confirmed cases linked to the voyage. Public health teams continue to monitor close contacts and to test individuals who develop symptoms during their quarantine period.
Quarantine measures for MV Hondius passengers
Four passengers from the MV Hondius were transported from Spain to Victoria, with a scheduled stop in Bagotville, to begin a mandatory quarantine of at least 21 days. Authorities explained quarantine is used for people who may have been exposed but are not symptomatic; it prevents potential onward transmission while allowing monitoring for symptom onset. Officials emphasized that quarantine procedures and medical transport protocols are in place to move symptomatic people safely to hospital settings for testing and treatment.
Incubation period and timeline of the outbreak
Public health officials say the outbreak on the MV Hondius was first identified on May 2, and that the period of greatest risk for symptom development centers around roughly the third week after exposure. Health authorities note that the incubation period for the Andes strain of hantavirus can be as long as 42 days, although symptoms commonly appear somewhat more than two weeks after exposure. Given that timeline, officials have highlighted the current weeks as a key monitoring window for those quarantined after the voyage.
Treatment coordination and international experience
Treatment for Andes hantavirus remains largely supportive, but PHAC and provincial partners are consulting with clinicians in Canada and internationally about potential antiviral options that have been trialled elsewhere. Health officials said countries such as Argentina have experimented with antiviral medications in clinical settings, and Canadian clinicians are working with global partners to ensure any effective therapies are considered for use. PHAC indicated it is coordinating with federal and international agencies to make sure the best available treatments and clinical expertise are accessible to the patient and to local clinicians.
Public health assessment and next steps
Both PHAC and British Columbia’s provincial health authorities have reiterated that the risk to the general Canadian population is low at this time, while also saying they are taking a precautionary approach given the severity associated with hantavirus infections. Contact tracing, testing of symptomatic individuals, and quarantine enforcement remain priorities, and officials said they will update the public as further laboratory results and clinical information become available. Authorities have also called on anyone who develops relevant symptoms after travel or exposure to seek prompt medical attention and to notify public health.
PHAC and provincial health partners say they will continue to assess new information, share laboratory findings with international agencies, and support clinicians treating the patient while maintaining quarantine and monitoring protocols for exposed travellers.
