Six cases confirmed as Andes virus: WHO<\/p>\n
The World Health Organization said on Friday that six laboratory-tested cases have been confirmed as Andes virus, a type of hantavirus, through virus-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing, the WHO said.<\/p>\n
Four patients remain hospitalized in South Africa, the Netherlands and Switzerland, while a suspected case sent to Germany tested negative.<\/p>\n
AFP<\/p>\n
Andes virus has heightened transmission capability: expert<\/p>\n
Andes virus is an especially contagious form of hantavirus, an infectious diseases physician and medical micro-biologist said Friday.<\/p>\n
germ can be spread through salvia, bodily fluids, and droplets from the respiratory system, Dr. Donald Vinh said in an interview with CTV News Channel.<\/p>\n
\u2018In general hantaviruses are transmitted from rodents to humans, but what has been known since the \u201890s is that there\u2019s a specific type of hantavirus, in this case the Andes virus,\u201d Vinh said, \u201cthat has been previously shown to have the capacity to spread from one person to another.\u201d <\/p>\n
He highlighted cruise ships and airplanes as places with an especially high transmission risk due to poor ventilation. He added that in those tight spaces Andes virus can ride on \u201crespiratory droplets, maybe even some aerosols as well as with saliva,\u201d to spread the infection.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we hear about an outbreak on a cruise ship or maybe a secondary transmission case on a plane,\u201d he added, \u201cthey\u2019re on closed, poorly ventilated spaces and so this is a concern, this is why the world is being vigilant right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Joe Van Wonderen<\/a>, CTVNews.ca<\/a> journalist<\/p>\n Long incubation period challenges<\/p>\n Epidemiologist and cardiologist Dr. Christopher Labos says the 45-day incubation period for hantavirus creates several challenges for health officials. <\/p>\n In an interview with CTV News Channel, he said people feel fine for such a long stretch of time before the virus-specific signs appear, adding passengers disembarking from the ship and going off to different locations and countries means officials have \u201ca lot of other people to contact trace.\u201d<\/p>\n Labos added the long incubation period also means \u201cyou have to wait a much longer period of time before you can be sure somebody is uninfected.\u201d<\/p>\n Archie Niari<\/a>, CTVNews.ca<\/a> journalist<\/p>\n Daily check-ins with health officials<\/p>\n Dr. Brittany Graham, acting medical officer of health for the Grey-Bruce Health Unit, says local health officials are checking in on the two Ontario residents daily.<\/p>\n \u201cThey are well, they\u2019re not experiencing any symptoms of the illness,\u201d Graham said. \u201cAnd so we are checking in with them while they isolate at home, to confirm that they\u2019re not developing any signs or symptoms of hantavirus.\u201d<\/p>\n She says following up with people who have potentially been exposed to an infectious disease is \u201csomething that we do routinely,\u201d in an effort to \u201cprevent any potential spread within the community.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo that\u2019s something that we\u2019re very confident we are able to do, so we have the situation well in hand here,\u201d Graham added.<\/p>\n Full story here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Scott Miller<\/a>, CTV News London<\/a> multi-skilled journalist<\/p>\n 6 Canadians contacted<\/p>\n In a late-press conference update, public health confirmed they had reached a sixth Canadian who may have been in contact with the virus.<\/p>\n In total, there are 10 affected Canadians, including the four travellers still on the cruise ship.<\/p>\n Luca Caruso-Moro<\/a>, CTVNews.ca journalist<\/p>\n \u2018Symptoms that could be hantavirus could be anything\u2019: specialist<\/p>\n Hantavirus produces generic enough symptoms that determining infection is a slow process, according to an infectious disease specialist.<\/p>\n \u201cSymptoms that could be hantavirus could be anything,\u201d Dr. Allison McGeer said Friday in an interview with CTV News Channel.<\/p>\n More cases may appear as test results return and contact tracing is utilized, she added.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re just going to have to wait every time, because it takes sometimes a few days to get test results done and back, to know whether these are real cases or not,\u201d McGeer advised. <\/p>\n \u201cI think its important that we all remain calm about the fact that there are new investigations.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe Van Wonderen<\/a>,CTVNews.ca<\/a> journalist<\/p>\n Symptoms could include fever, headaches and nausea<\/p>\n Infectious disease specialist Dr. Lisa Barret told CTV News Channel that officials could be looking for signs or symptoms like \u201cfevers, headaches, feelings of malaise, muscle aches, nausea any GI symptoms and diarrhea\u201d in the six Canadians who are now back in the country as they self isolate.<\/p>\n Archie Niari<\/a>, CTVNews.ca<\/a> journalist<\/p>\n \u2018There is no validated test\u2019<\/p>\n When asked if any Canadians have been tested for hantavirus, Dr. Joss Reimer said that \u201cthere is no validated test for asymptomatic individuals.\u201d<\/p>\n Reimer added that if any symptomatic cases emerge, officials have connected with provinces and territories \u201cto come up with a plan where they identify a specific hospital that has the capabilities to manage complex viruses like this.\u201d<\/p>\n Kayla Thompson<\/a>, CTVNews.ca journalist<\/p>\n How will Canada proceed with repatriation?<\/p>\n Health officials confirmed that the country is preparing to repatriate the four remaining Canadians onboard the MV Hondius \u201cas soon as possible once they disembark the ship on Sunday.\u201d<\/p>\n Officials say they are involved in daily meetings and planned coordination with the CDC, WHO and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) to plan the safest way for Canadians to return home.<\/p>\n Kayla Thompson<\/a>, CTVNews.ca journalist<\/p>\n The three Canadians who are isolating at home, and all four Canadian passengers still onboard, are asymptomatic, public health officials say.<\/p>\n Luca Caruso-Moro<\/a>, CTVNews.ca journalist<\/p>\n 3 other Canadians came in contact with virus<\/p>\n Health investigations are also underway by local authorities regarding three additional Canadians, two in Alberta and one in Ontario, who were on a flight recently where \u201cthey may have had brief contact with (a) confirmed case,\u201d said Canada\u2019s chief public health officer, Dr. Joss Reimer on Friday.<\/p>\n The three Canadians have \u201csince returned to Canada\u201d she added.<\/p>\n Kayla Thompson<\/a>, CTVNews.ca journalist<\/p>\n Spread in Canada not expected<\/p>\n \u201cOnward spread in Canada is not expected,\u201d said Canada\u2019s chief public health officer, Dr. Joss Reimer. <\/p>\n She reiterated that the three Canadians who are back in the country following potential exposure have been asked to isolate. There is no evidence that asymptomatic patients can spread the virus, she also said. <\/p>\n Luca Caruso-Moro<\/a>, CTVNews.ca journalist<\/p>\n Two passengers are in isolation in Ontario<\/p>\n Two Ontario residents who were onboard a ship with an outbreak of hantavirus are from the same household in Grey-Bruce counties and are isolating at home now, Ontario\u2019s top doctor tells CTV News.<\/p>\n Dr. Kieran Moore told CTV News Toronto in an interview the two arrived back in Ontario on April 25 and are being observed for a 45-day period. <\/p>\n However they remain asymptomatic.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just the two that we\u2019re monitoring on a daily basis to ensure they remain asymptomatic,\u201d Moore said. \u201cThey\u2019re not cases, they\u2019re contacts from the ship, and I just want to assure everybody they have no symptoms at present.\u201d<\/p>\n Ontario is not expecting any more patients from the ship<\/a>, Moore said.<\/p>\n Moore said he believes it\u2019s unlikely the two might have passed hantavirus to anyone since their return as there is still no indication they have it themselves.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1778304249_78_2EJAIF6LU5A5POHCMGRRSKNOLA.jpg\")
Netherlands Hantavirus Ship Medical personnel in hazmat suits wait for patients, evacuated from the MV Hondius cruise ship with suspected hantavirus infection, at Schiphol airport, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Wednesday, May 6, 2026. (AP Photo\/Peter Dejong) All Canadians asymptomatic<\/p>\n