World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has urged countries to brace for a potential increase in hantavirus cases following an incident involving a French woman who contracted the virus aboard the MV Hondius. The woman, now in Paris, is experiencing the most severe form of the disease and has been placed on a ventilator. During a press conference in Madrid, Tedros expressed gratitude to Spain for its “compassion and solidarity” in accepting the affected cruise ship and emphasized the importance of adhering to WHO guidelines, which include a 42-day quarantine and vigilant monitoring of high-risk contacts.
Despite the current lack of evidence pointing to a larger outbreak, Tedros cautioned that the situation could evolve, particularly given the virus’s lengthy incubation period. He noted the potential for more cases to emerge in the coming weeks. In a related development, health officials in Paris confirmed that the French patient has been moved to intensive care due to “the most severe form of cardiopulmonary presentation.” Dr. Xavier Lescure, speaking to the press, mentioned that the 65-year-old woman had underlying health issues, although he did not provide specific details. “She is on an artificial lung and a blood bypass to help her through this stage,” he added.
Meanwhile, Spain’s health ministry reported that one of the 14 Spaniards evacuated from the MV Hondius and placed in quarantine at a military hospital in Madrid had tested positive for hantavirus. The patient initially presented with a low-grade fever and mild respiratory symptoms but is currently stable and showing no significant clinical deterioration. “The patient who tested provisionally positive yesterday has been confirmed positive for hantavirus,” the ministry stated.
Tedros, speaking alongside Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, indicated that further cases could arise due to the interactions among passengers on the ship before the alarm was raised and the first case was confirmed on May 2. He explained, “We would expect more cases because, as you may remember, the index case – the first case in the ship – was on April 6. There was a lot of interaction, actually, with the passengers. And as you know, the incubation period is also six to eight weeks.”
Following the evacuation, Tedros emphasized that individual countries are now accountable for their citizens and expressed hope that they will provide care and support for the affected passengers while also safeguarding their populations. “I hope they will take care of the patients and the passengers, helping them and also protecting their citizens as well. That’s what we expect,” he concluded.