Ottawa/IBNS-CMEDIA: Canadian health authorities said on Tuesday that nine people in Canada are being monitored as high-risk contacts linked to an outbreak of Andes hantavirus aboard the expedition cruise ship MV Hondius, though officials said the overall risk to the public remains low.
The Public Health Agency of Canada said four Canadian passengers returned to British Columbia on May 10 and are completing a mandatory self-isolation period after undergoing public health assessments upon arrival.
All four travellers remain asymptomatic and are being monitored by local health authorities, the agency said in a statement.
Officials said the isolation period could last between 21 and 42 days, beginning May 10, which was identified as the last day a confirmed case was aboard the vessel.
Five additional individuals in Canada are also considered potentially exposed to the virus, including two passengers who left the MV Hondius before the outbreak was identified and three people exposed during a flight involving a confirmed case.
Health authorities said one previously identified contact in Quebec was removed from the high-risk category following updated guidance from the World Health Organization and a local public health assessment.
The Canadian government said passengers and crew who had been aboard the MV Hondius since April 1 would be temporarily barred from boarding flights to Canada, in coordination with airlines, border officials and public health agencies.
Andes hantavirus is a rare rodent-borne virus found mainly in South America. In some cases, it can spread between people through close contact. Symptoms can include fever, muscle aches and severe respiratory illness.
(Reporting by Suman Das)
