Evacuated American cruise passenger tests positive for hantavirus

An American has tested positive and a French traveler developed symptoms aboard their separate plane trip after passengers evacuated from the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship began flying home aboard military and government aircraft.

One of 17 U.S. passengers evacuated from the MV Hondius tested positive for the hantavirus but is showing no symptoms, U.S. health officials said today.

Earlier, one of five French passengers developed symptoms during their flight home, French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said in a statement, and all were placed in strict isolation with plans to be tested.

Passengers were evacuated from the MV Hondius after arriving in Tenerife, the largest island in the Spanish archipelago off the West African coast.

Earlier, officials from the Spanish Health Ministry, the World Health Organization and the cruise line Oceanwide Expeditions had said that none of the more than 140 people on the Hondius at the time showed symptoms of the virus.

The plane with the Americans would arrive today in Omaha, Nebraska.

They would first be taken to the University of Nebraska, which has a federally funded quarantine facility, to assess whether they have been in close contact with people with symptoms and their risk level for spreading the virus.

“One passenger will be transported to the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit upon arrival, while other passengers will go to the National Quarantine Unit for assessment and monitoring. The passenger going to the Biocontainment Unit tested positive for the virus but has no symptoms,” said Kayla Thomas, spokesperson for the Nebraska Medical Center.

From the ship, all passengers were escorted to shore by personnel wearing full-body protective clothing and respiratory masks.

Spanish passengers were the first to leave, flown to Madrid and taken to a military hospital.

Hours later, a plane evacuating French passengers landed in Paris, where it was met by emergency vehicles.

Meanwhile, plans have been revealed to get the Australians off the ship.

NSW Health said it is working with the federal government on a plan for the four Australian passengers from the ship, where three people died.

They will be taken to the NSW Biocontainment Center at Westmead Hospital once they return home from the Canary Islands, where it is now docked.

Unveiled in 2023, it is a special unit to isolate patients with rare, highly contagious diseases.

The cruise ship patients will be assessed and quarantine arrangements will be planned.

They land tomorrow on a charter flight in Perth

“These passengers will be closely monitored and if they develop symptoms they will be assessed by an infectious disease physician and provided with appropriate care,” NSW Health said.

“The risk to the public is low.”

– with Associated Press

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