A Canadian who sailed on the cruise ship MV Hondius which was hit by a hantavirus outbreak in April has tested positive for the disease, officials in the province of British Columbia say.
The individual, one of four people isolating on Vancouver Island after leaving the ship, had developed mild symptoms.
The province's senior health officer said the four had not had any contact with the public since arriving in Canada.
The case brings the total number of infections to 11, all among cruise passengers. Three people who travelled on the ship have died, with two confirmed to have had the virus.
British Columbia health officer Bonnie Henry said the person's test came back as a presumptive positive on Friday, meaning that it still remains to be confirmed by a national microbiology lab.
Clearly, this is not what we hoped for, but it is what we planned for, she said, quoted by national broadcaster CBC.
Dr. Henry emphasized that hantavirus is very different from other respiratory viruses, such as Covid-19, and does not pose the same pandemic potential. Of the six Canadians who were on the Dutch ship, two are isolating at home in Ontario, while the remaining two couples are on Vancouver Island. The individual who tested positive is from Yukon.
No additional cases have been reported among the other passengers, indicating that health measures are being effective.
The cruise ship, which departed from Argentina on 1 April, recently docked in Tenerife, in Spain's Canary Islands, allowing its passengers to return home and undergo isolation. The remaining staff on board will disembark in Rotterdam, confirming that no symptomatic individuals are still present on the ship.
Hantaviruses are generally carried by rodents, but human transmission is possible in specific strains, including the Andes strain potentially affecting passengers on this cruise. Symptoms typically include fever, extreme fatigue, muscle aches, and gastric distress. Health officials state that the risk of a major outbreak remains low.
