Canadian Health Agency Confirms Hantavirus Case Among Cruise Ship Passengers; One of Four Tests Positive

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — On Sunday, Canada’s national health agency announced that one of four Canadians who returned from a cruise ship experiencing a hantavirus outbreak has tested positive for the virus.

The Public Health Agency of Canada made this confirmation a day after British Columbia’s public health officer reported a “presumptive positive” result for the individual. Further testing was conducted at the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg to verify the initial findings.

“One individual’s sample was confirmed positive for hantavirus,” stated the national agency in its official release.

The statement also clarified that a second person, who traveled with the confirmed case, tested negative for the virus. This couple, both in their 70s from the Yukon, are currently hospitalized in Victoria.

The group of four Canadian passengers had returned to British Columbia last Sunday. In addition to the couple, the group included a person in their 70s from Vancouver Island and another individual in their 50s residing abroad, originally from British Columbia.

All individuals remain in isolation as a precautionary measure.

Three people have died since the hantavirus outbreak began on the cruise ship MV Hondius. The Canadian patient is the 10th person from the ship to test positive.

Among the three who died are a Dutch couple who health officials believe were the first exposed to the virus while visiting South America.

The Canadian public health agency said it is taking a precautionary approach to ensure citizens are protected.

“The overall risk to the general population in Canada from the Andes hantavirus outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship remains low at this time,” the statement said. “All confirmed cases to date have been passengers or crew on the MV Hondius cruise ship.”

The agency said it provided the information about the positive case to the World Health Organization and will share information to support the ongoing global investigation of the outbreak.