Hantavirus Outbreak on MV Hondius, France Confirms First Case

JAKARTA - France confirmed the first case of hantavirus in a passenger on the MV Hondius cruise ship. This case is related to the outbreak detected on the ship.

Quoted from Anadolu Agency, Monday, May 11, French Health Minister Stephanie Rist said the patient was a woman. She was one of five French citizens evacuated from the ship and flown from the Canary Islands, Spain, to France on Sunday.

The woman began showing symptoms during the evacuation flight from Tenerife to Le Bourget Airport, near Paris. After being examined, the test results showed that she was positive for hantavirus.

"The test results were positive for hantavirus," Rist told France Inter radio on Monday. He added that the patient's condition worsened overnight.

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu also gave a statement via the X social media. He said the patient had shown symptoms during the repatriation flight which landed on Sunday at 16.30 local time.

Four other French citizens who were evacuated were negative. Even so, they still have to undergo isolation for at least 15 days. French health authorities also opened the possibility of extending the isolation period according to the development of conditions.

The French government is now tracing 22 of its citizens who were on other flights related to the cluster of cases. Routes checked include Saint Helena-Johannesburg and Johannesburg-Amsterdam.

The French Ministry of Health said eight French citizens from the Saint Helena-Johannesburg flight had been isolated almost a week ago. Meanwhile, other passengers were asked to immediately contact health authorities and self-isolate.

Hantavirus is a rare disease that is generally transmitted through infected rats or their feces. However, the strain that triggered the outbreak on the MV Hondius is said to be able to be transmitted between humans.