Upon arrival in British Columbia, a group of four Canadian citizens, previously on a cruise ship affected by a rare hantavirus outbreak, landed in B.C. on Sunday evening for continued quarantine. The individuals arrived at Victoria airport from Saguenay-Bagotville Airport, Quebec, according to FlightAware, an online plane tracking platform.
Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s health officer, mentioned that the Canadians have ties to the province, prompting their isolation in B.C. She acknowledged the challenging experience faced by the individuals and everyone on the MV Hondius during a news conference on Sunday.
The passengers will be placed in pre-arranged accommodations in B.C. for a minimum 21-day isolation period, extendable up to 42 days considering the hantavirus’ incubation duration, as stated by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). The agency emphasized that local public health authorities in B.C. will evaluate the situation at the end of the isolation period.
Dr. Henry reassured the public that the passengers will not have contact with the general population during their arrival or isolation period. They will undergo daily monitoring by local health teams. While the individuals are being treated as potentially exposed to the virus, none have displayed symptoms. Secure measures are in place to protect the public in case of illness.
The Andes hantavirus strain found in the cruise ship incident differs from the strain present in B.C., which is typically transmitted through rodent waste. Dr. Henry highlighted the low risk of human-to-human transmission of the Andes strain.
PHAC reported that a Canadian consular official provided support to the Canadians in Tenerife, and all four passengers have been following isolation protocols since May 4 without exhibiting symptoms. The individuals were screened multiple times, adhering to strict health measures, before being repatriated to B.C.
Despite the tragic deaths and infections linked to the hantavirus outbreak, authorities are closely monitoring those potentially exposed. Several Canadians have been advised to isolate due to contact with infected individuals, including passengers from the Grey Bruce region of Ontario and others from Quebec, Alberta, and Ontario who may have encountered the virus while traveling.