Hantavirus Outbreak Spreads to Another Country

Canadian health officials are scrambling after a passenger from a luxury polar cruise ship tested positive for the deadly Andes strain of hantavirus — a rare rodent-borne disease that can kill up to half of the people it infects.

The alarming case was confirmed Saturday by health authorities in British Columbia after four Canadians were placed in isolation following an outbreak aboard the Dutch expedition cruise ship MV Hondius.

The infected passenger, a resident of Yukon, reportedly developed mild symptoms after returning from the Antarctic voyage and was tested at a hospital in Victoria on Vancouver Island. Officials said the patient is currently in stable condition.

The cruise ship, which departed Argentina on April 1 for a high-end polar expedition, became the center of growing concern after multiple passengers were linked to the dangerous virus strain. Two Canadian couples — one from Yukon and one from British Columbia — were among those placed under monitoring after leaving the vessel.

British Columbia provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said the group had no contact with the public after arriving in Canada and were transported directly from their flight into isolation precautions in Victoria.

The Andes strain of hantavirus is considered one of the most dangerous forms of the disease. According to the World Health Organization, it can trigger a severe and fast-moving lung infection that proves fatal in up to 50% of cases.

While hantaviruses are typically spread through contact with infected rodents or their droppings, the Andes strain has also been linked to rare cases of person-to-person transmission — something that has intensified concerns surrounding the outbreak.

Health officials stressed that the overall risk to the public remains low, but the case is already raising fears because of how unusual and deadly the virus can be.

The source of the outbreak aboard the luxury cruise ship has not yet been publicly identified, and authorities continue to monitor passengers and crew members who may have been exposed.