Cruise Passenger Brings Hantavirus Home as a Souvenir, Because Why Not
A Canadian cruise passenger brings hantavirus back from a voyage, making it the 11th case and proving that even a pandemic-free virus can still ruin your vacation.
A Canadian who sailed on the ill-fated MV Hondius has tested positive for hantavirus, proving that even a luxury cruise can't shield you from the joys of a rodent-borne disease. British Columbia health officials confirmed the presumptive positive on Friday, making this the 11th infection linked to the April voyage.
The individual, one of four people isolating on Vancouver Island, has developed only mild symptoms, which is the universe's way of saying 'you got off easy.' The province's senior health officer, Bonnie Henry, assured the public that the four have had zero contact with anyone since arriving, so at least they're not spreading the joy.
'Clearly, this is not what we hoped for, but it is what we planned for,' Dr. Henry told CBC, in what might be the most Canadian response to a public health crisis ever. She also stressed that hantavirus is 'very different' from respiratory viruses like COVID-19 or flu, and doesn't have pandemic potential. So, no need to hoard toilet paper just yet.
The total tally now stands at 11 infections, with three deaths among passengers. Of the six Canadians on the Dutch ship, two are self-isolating in Ontario, and two couples are on Vancouver Island - one from B.C., the other from Yukon. The newly positive person hails from Yukon, because why should the mainland have all the fun?
The MV Hondius set sail from Argentina on April 1 (yes, really) and docked in Tenerife less than a week ago, letting passengers disembark and isolate. The ship is now heading to Rotterdam, where the remaining crew will disembark, with no symptomatic individuals on board. Oceanwide Expeditions, the owner, confirmed this, presumably while crossing their fingers.
The WHO recommends 42 days of isolation, but Canadians were initially told 21 days. Dr. Henry said that timeline might be adjusted, because why not keep everyone guessing?
Hantavirus is usually carried by rodents, but the Andes strain - which the WHO suspects some passengers contracted in South America - can spread between humans. Symptoms include fever, extreme fatigue, muscle aches, and the kind of stomach pain that makes you question every life choice. Officials say the risk of a major outbreak is very low, which is reassuring unless you're one of the four people on Vancouver Island.
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