A Canadian traveller is receiving hospital care in British Columbia after testing presumptively positive for the Andes strain of hantavirus, according to Global News. The individual was among four Canadians isolating in B.C. after possible exposure aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship, which had recently returned from an Antarctic voyage.
B.C. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said the traveller, a Yukon resident, began experiencing mild symptoms about two days before the update, including fever and headache. The person and their partner were taken to hospital in Victoria for assessment, testing, and monitoring under infection control precautions.
According to Global News, the B.C. Centre for Disease Control public health lab reported late Friday that the symptomatic traveller had tested positive for the Andes strain of hantavirus. Officials said the result is still considered presumptive until it is confirmed by Canada’s National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg.
The second Yukon traveller tested negative but remains in hospital for continued observation. A third person has also been transferred to hospital as a precaution, while the fourth traveller continues to isolate at home. Health officials said the response shows that planning and safety protocols are being followed carefully.
The Andes strain has drawn attention because, unlike most hantavirus strains, it can spread from person to person. The World Health Organization previously identified the strain among passengers aboard the cruise ship, but officials have said the overall risk to the public remains low. More health and public safety coverage can be found through Weekly Voice and its Canada news section.
Canada’s chief public health officer, Dr. Joss Reimer, said earlier in the week that 26 people across Canada are being monitored by public health authorities after sharing flights with a confirmed hantavirus case. However, those passengers are not considered close contacts because of where they were seated during the flights.
In total, nine travellers in Canada, located in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia, have been classified as high risk exposure cases and told to self isolate. Henry had previously warned that the four travellers in B.C. were entering a critical stage of the incubation period, making close monitoring especially important.
Health officials in B.C. said Island Health teams had been preparing for the travellers’ arrival for several days, including training hospital staff and reviewing protocols. They emphasized that the case is being managed through existing public health systems and that residents should remain reassured while officials continue monitoring the situation.
