10 Canadians Connected to Hantavirus Outbreak, Chief Public Health Officer Says

Three additional Canadians who shared a flight with a person infected with hantavirus have been identified, bringing the total number of Canadians linked to the outbreak to 10, the chief public health officer said.

The three Canadians were not on board the Dutch-flagged cruise ship MV Hondius at the center of the outbreak, but may have been in contact with someone who was infected with hantavirus, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Joss Reimer said on May 8.

While the three newly identified individuals—two in Alberta and one in Ontario—were all asymptomatic, they were being told to isolate as a precautionary measure, Reimer said while giving an update on the outbreak at a press conference on May 8.

Three other Canadians—including two who had been on the cruise ship and left it before the outbreak was identified—were on a flight to Johannesburg, South Africa, together and may have come in contact with a symptomatic individual.

Those three Canadians—a couple in Ontario and an individual in Quebec—returned to Canada on April 26 and 27. They had already received guidance to self-isolate and are being actively monitored by local public health authorities, the Public Health Agency of Canada said in a news release.

Another four Canadians remain on the cruise ship, all asymptomatic.

In the release, the agency said that Andes virus—the strain of hantavirus identified in the current outbreak—rarely infects humans, and that the overall risk to the general population in connection with this outbreak is low.

“Onward spread within Canada is not expected, even if an infected individual were to arrive here,” it wrote, adding that a precautionary approach was being taken to ensure Canadians are protected.

The release also said that there is no evidence that asymptomatic individuals can spread hantavirus to others.

The MV Hondius is en route to the Spanish island of Tenerife where it is expected to arrive on May 10 and anchor offshore. Passengers will be evacuated to shore via smaller boats for medical assessment.

Asked by reporters how the four Canadians remaining on the cruise ship would be brought home, Reimer did not confirm whether a charter plane would be used, but said that “necessary distancing and protective and PPE equipment [would] be worn.”

Asked what the plan would be if any of those connected with the outbreak developed symptoms, she said: “We have connected with the provinces and territories who have travelers in their jurisdictions, and each province or territory has come up with a plan where they’ve identified a specific hospital that has the capabilities to manage a complex virus like this, and so there would be plan to transmit those or to transport those individuals to the designated hospital for care, and with good protocols in place to ensure that nobody else is exposed during that transportation.”

Those not displaying symptoms are expected to be asked to isolate for between 21 and 30 days with an additional 42 days of monitoring, according to WHO guidelines, she said.