Arabic version: تأكيد حالات فيروس هانتا في الولايات المتحدة وفرنسا بعد تفشي على متن سفينة سياحية

An American and a French national who have returned to their home countries after leaving the MV Hondius cruise ship have tested positive for hantavirus, prompting health authorities to take immediate action. According to BBC News, the US health department reported that a second American national on the repatriation flight had also shown mild symptoms, leading to their transport in “biocontainment units” as a precaution.

French Health Minister Stéphanie Rist confirmed that a woman is currently isolating in Paris, where her health is reportedly deteriorating. Authorities have traced 22 contact cases related to her. Meanwhile, more than 90 passengers from the MV Hondius, currently docked in Spain’s Canary Islands, are being repatriated, with 54 still on board the vessel as of the latest update.

Spanish officials announced that six of the remaining individuals include four Australians, one Briton, and one New Zealander. Twenty-two passengers are scheduled to disembark for the Netherlands, including the Australians, whose flight was delayed. The ship itself is expected to leave for the Netherlands later today.

Tragically, three passengers—a Dutch couple and a German woman—have died after traveling on the MV Hondius, with two confirmed to have contracted the virus. Hantaviruses are typically carried by rodents, and the Andes strain is believed to have been contracted by some passengers during their time in South America. Symptoms can range from fever and extreme fatigue to gastrointestinal issues and shortness of breath.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, officials maintain that the risk of a widespread outbreak remains low. The US Department of Health and Human Services stated that all 17 US citizens on the repatriation flight “will undergo clinical assessment” at a medical facility in Nebraska. Additionally, seven other US passengers who previously returned are under monitoring in their home states. In the UK, a flight carrying 20 British nationals has arrived, with passengers taken to a hospital for a 72-hour isolation period. No symptoms have been reported among them so far.