Canadian passenger from MV Hondius tests positive for hantavirus

On Saturday, the government of British Columbia confirmed that a Canadian citizen tested positive for the Andes strain of hantavirus. The individual, a resident of Yukon, had recently disembarked from the cruise ship MV Hondius. Currently, four Canadians, consisting of two couples from Yukon and British Columbia, are in isolation on Vancouver Island. The positive patient remains in stable condition after seeking medical care at a hospital in Victoria due to mild symptoms. Health official Bonnie Henry stated that the individuals had no contact with others during their transport to Victoria. According to the World Health Organization, the Andes strain can cause severe pulmonary disease with a mortality rate of up to 50 percent. Authorities maintain that the risk of further community spread is low, noting that hantavirus is primarily rodent-borne, though rare human-to-human transmission is possible.