Repatriated US citizen tests positive for hantavirus

One of 17 American passengers repatriated from a hantavirus-hit cruise ship has tested “mildly” positive for the virus, the US health department said on Sunday.

“One passenger currently has mild symptoms and another passenger tested mildly PCR positive for the Andes virus,” the Department of Health and Human Services said.

Both passengers traveled in the plane’s biocontainment units “out of an abundance of caution,” it said.

The passengers are being taken to a specialized center in the rural state of Nebraska, while the person with mild symptoms will be taken to a second center, the health department said.

The US passengers were evacuated from the Spanish Canary Islands, where the ship made a stop, and arrived at Eppley Airport in Omaha on Monday, shortly before 2:30 am local time (0730 GMT), according to several US media outlets including CNN.

Upon arrival, “each person will undergo clinical assessment and receive appropriate care and support based on their condition,” the health agency added.

Three passengers from the MV Hondius have died, while others have fallen sick with the rare disease, which usually spreads among rodents.

AFP

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