A French passenger from the MV Hondius has tested positive for hantavirus after being repatriated from the cruise ship, where an outbreak of the virus had been reported.
French Health Minister Stéphanie Rist said the woman’s condition had worsened overnight and that medical tests had confirmed she was infected.
The passenger was one of five French nationals who had been on board the vessel. All five were repatriated and placed in isolation in Paris.
“The condition of one woman unfortunately deteriorated overnight,” Rist told France Inter, adding that “the tests came back positive”.
The other four French passengers tested negative, but will be tested again, according to the minister.
French authorities have so far traced 22 contacts linked to the case, Rist said.
The MV Hondius has been at the centre of a hantavirus outbreak involving passengers from several countries. International health authorities have been monitoring those who were on board after passengers were evacuated and repatriated under health protocols.
Source: CNA
