{"id":446144,"date":"2026-05-13T04:55:07","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T04:55:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/446144\/"},"modified":"2026-05-13T04:55:07","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T04:55:07","slug":"first-hantavirus-case-in-ireland-was-tourist-rushed-to-hospital-with-kidney-failure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/446144\/","title":{"rendered":"First hantavirus case in Ireland was tourist rushed to hospital with kidney failure"},"content":{"rendered":"

The first person to be diagnosed with hantavirus <\/a>in Ireland was a German tourist back in 2012, it can be revealed.<\/p>\n

The man, who was 30 years old at the time, presented to Mid Western Regional Hospital in Limerick<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Medics quickly discovered he was in renal failure and was displaying respiratory symptoms.<\/p>\n

READ MORE:\u00a0{{title}}<\/a><\/p>\n

The man was eventually discharged from the hospital after he made a full recovery. He then flew back to Germany<\/a>, where he underwent extensive tests. <\/p>\n

These eventually returned a diagnosis of hantavirus in June, 2012. This is the first recorded case of hantavirus in a human in Ireland.<\/p>\n

At the time, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, which monitors outbreaks and diseases<\/a> in Ireland, said there was an “exceptional” number of hantavirus cases in Germany between late 2011 and early 2012.<\/p>\n

Back in 2012, they also said it was surprising that hantavirus was so rare in Ireland when it was so prevalent in other European countries. <\/p>\n

It comes as Interim Chief Medical Officer Professor Mary Horgan said two Irish passengers who were on the hantavirus-hit cruise ship<\/a> are currently isolating at a HSE-run facility<\/a>.<\/p>\n