A French national evacuated from the cruise ship MV Hondius reportedly began showing symptoms of hantavirus while on a special chartered flight from Tenerife to Paris, prompting immediate isolation measures for all five French passengers onboard.
French Prime Minister, Sébastien Lecornu, said the passenger developed symptoms during the journey, leading authorities to isolate the entire group as a precaution until further notice.
The five French nationals were among more than 90 tourists evacuated from the Dutch cruise ship on Sunday after it docked in the Canary Islands before dawn.
So far, three passengers linked to the cruise have reportedly died, with two confirmed to have contracted hantavirus. Health authorities are continuing investigations into the outbreak as concerns grow over possible human-to-human transmission involving the Andes strain of the virus.
Upon arriving at Le Bourget Airport in Paris, officials dressed in full personal protective equipment (PPE) were seen receiving the group before transferring them by ambulance convoy to Bichat Hospital for further treatment and monitoring.
Lecornu said French authorities would issue a special advisory to ensure appropriate quarantine measures are enforced to protect public health.
Since early Sunday morning, passengers from MV Hondius have been evacuated from the vessel near Tenerife, Spain, before being flown to hospitals in their respective countries or to the Netherlands for additional medical assessments.
According to AFP, a chartered aircraft carrying the five French passengers landed at Le Bourget Airport in northern Paris at approximately 4.30pm local time. The group was later transported under police escort to Bichat Hospital.
Meanwhile, the BBC reported that France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs said the passengers would undergo a 72-hour quarantine and comprehensive health assessment before being allowed to continue self-isolation for 45 days.
In Spain, 14 citizens flown from Tenerife to Madrid are currently undergoing mandatory quarantine at a military hospital in the capital.
British passengers who returned to Manchester reportedly showed no symptoms but remain under close observation by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
Hantavirus is commonly spread by rodents, but the Andes strain linked to the incident is believed to have the rare ability to spread between humans under certain conditions.
Symptoms of the infection include fever, extreme fatigue, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and shortness of breath.
