One Canadian Tests Positive For Hantavirus

A Canadian has tested positive for hantavirus after leaving a luxury cruise ship that experienced an outbreak of the Andes strain.

British Columbia health officials said on Saturday that the person became mildly ill after returning from the MV Hondius, a Dutch cruise ship that had been on a polar expedition from Argentina since April 1.

The infected individual is one of four Canadians now isolating on Vancouver Island after leaving the ship. The group includes two couples from Yukon and British Columbia.

Officials said the Yukon couple is being tested in British Columbia because the required testing is not available in their home territory.

One Canadian Tests Positive For Hantavirus (NewsCentral TV) — Passengers of the cruise ship MV Hondius, which was affected by a hantavirus outbreak, board a EuroAtlantic Airways aircraft bound for Canada at Tenerife Sud airport, Canary Islands, Spain, May 10, 2026. REUTERS/Borja Suárez.

Also, the British Columbia Provincial Health Officer, Bonnie Henry, said the four travellers did not have contact with the public during their transfer to Victoria. She confirmed that the person who tested positive is in stable condition.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the outbreak on the cruise ship involves the Andes strain of hantavirus, which can cause severe lung disease and be fatal in up to 50% of cases.

Hantaviruses are usually spread by rodents, though person-to-person transmission is rare. Health officials say the risk of wider spread remains low.

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