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Swiss Authorities Confirm Case of Hantavirus
(MENAFN) Swiss health authorities have confirmed a hantavirus infection in a male passenger who previously traveled aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean, the World Health Organization (WHO) and local media reported Wednesday.
"Swiss authorities have confirmed a case of #hantavirus identified in a passenger from the MV Hondius cruise ship," WHO announced on X, the US social media platform.
The infected individual is currently receiving medical care at a hospital in Zurich, having sought treatment after receiving an email from the ship's operator alerting passengers to the unfolding health incident aboard the vessel.
According to the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), as cited by Swissinfo, the man had recently returned to Switzerland from a trip to South Africa with his wife in late April, during which the couple had been aboard the MV Hondius. His wife has thus far shown no signs of illness but entered self-isolation as a precautionary measure. Authorities are simultaneously working to establish whether the patient had contact with other individuals following his return.
The FOPH assessed the risk to the broader public as low, indicating that additional cases within Switzerland are considered unlikely.
The MV Hondius, carrying approximately 150 passengers at the time, was struck by a hantavirus outbreak off the coast of Cabo Verde, where three fatalities have already been recorded. As of May 6, WHO has tallied eight cases in total, three of which have been laboratory-confirmed as hantavirus infections. The agency identified the specific strain involved as the Andes hantavirus.
WHO confirmed it is actively coordinating with health authorities across Cabo Verde, the Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, and the UK, as well as the ship's operators, while ongoing investigations—including contact tracing and virus sequencing—continue to advance.
Following the evacuation of several infected patients, the vessel is expected to sail to the Canary Islands, where Spanish authorities are set to carry out a comprehensive investigation and full disinfection of the ship, WHO said.
The Dutch-flagged MV Hondius had been in the midst of a weeks-long polar expedition, originally sailing from Argentina toward Antarctica.
"Swiss authorities have confirmed a case of #hantavirus identified in a passenger from the MV Hondius cruise ship," WHO announced on X, the US social media platform.
The infected individual is currently receiving medical care at a hospital in Zurich, having sought treatment after receiving an email from the ship's operator alerting passengers to the unfolding health incident aboard the vessel.
According to the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), as cited by Swissinfo, the man had recently returned to Switzerland from a trip to South Africa with his wife in late April, during which the couple had been aboard the MV Hondius. His wife has thus far shown no signs of illness but entered self-isolation as a precautionary measure. Authorities are simultaneously working to establish whether the patient had contact with other individuals following his return.
The FOPH assessed the risk to the broader public as low, indicating that additional cases within Switzerland are considered unlikely.
The MV Hondius, carrying approximately 150 passengers at the time, was struck by a hantavirus outbreak off the coast of Cabo Verde, where three fatalities have already been recorded. As of May 6, WHO has tallied eight cases in total, three of which have been laboratory-confirmed as hantavirus infections. The agency identified the specific strain involved as the Andes hantavirus.
WHO confirmed it is actively coordinating with health authorities across Cabo Verde, the Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, and the UK, as well as the ship's operators, while ongoing investigations—including contact tracing and virus sequencing—continue to advance.
Following the evacuation of several infected patients, the vessel is expected to sail to the Canary Islands, where Spanish authorities are set to carry out a comprehensive investigation and full disinfection of the ship, WHO said.
The Dutch-flagged MV Hondius had been in the midst of a weeks-long polar expedition, originally sailing from Argentina toward Antarctica.
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