One out of four Canadian individuals in British Columbia under isolation following their departure from a cruise ship impacted by a hantavirus outbreak has shown a “presumptive positive” test result, as stated by Dr. Bonnie Henry, the provincial health officer, on Saturday. The patient was admitted to the hospital after experiencing mild symptoms such as fever and headache two days ago. The test result indicating presumptive positivity was received on Friday and awaits confirmation from a national microbiology lab in Winnipeg. Despite this development, Dr. Henry acknowledged the situation was anticipated, emphasizing that hantavirus is distinct from other respiratory viruses like COVID-19, influenza, and measles, and is not considered to pose a pandemic threat.
Following their return to Canada on Sunday, four cruise ship passengers initiated their isolation on Vancouver Island. Subsequently, three of them, including a resident in their 70s from the island, an individual in their 50s from B.C. currently residing abroad, and a couple in their 70s from the Yukon, were transferred to hospitals in Victoria, while the fourth person continues to isolate at home. The Yukon resident who tested presumptive positive is one of the individuals from the Yukon, with their partner testing negative despite minor symptoms.
Dr. Bonnie Henry highlighted that during the transfer of the travellers from Victoria International Airport, there was no contact with the public, and all healthcare workers involved wore appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). The four passengers were initially instructed to isolate for a minimum of 21 days, corresponding to the high-risk phase of the virus’s 42-day incubation period. The situation for the Yukon couple has significantly changed, prompting a reassessment of their isolation requirements.
Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) stated that results from the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg are anticipated within the next two days. The agency emphasized a low risk to the general Canadian population from the hantavirus outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship but stressed the importance of precautionary measures due to the virus’s severity.
Since the outbreak began on the MV Hondius, three deaths have been reported. Dr. Henry mentioned that all 11 individuals testing positive globally had prolonged exposure on the cruise ship, indicating no infections from individuals outside the ship. While hantavirus typically spreads through inhaling contaminated rodent droppings and has limited human-to-human transmission, the Andes virus observed in the ship outbreak may have rare instances of person-to-person spread. Symptoms usually manifest within one to eight weeks post-exposure.
Dr. Henry assured that the individuals under isolation in the Island Health region had no direct contact with the affected individuals on the ship. Additionally, passengers on the return flight to Canada are not deemed at risk, considering the absence of symptoms during the flight and the delayed onset of symptoms in the current patient after landing. Infection control measures have been diligently observed since the individuals arrived in British Columbia, minimizing risks beyond the healthcare providers caring for them.