Canada has confirmed its first hantavirus infection after a cruise ship passenger tested positive for the virus. The infected person was on board the MV Hondius, the cruise ship where the initial outbreak occurred.
According to a report by The Guardian, one of the four Canadians quarantining after being on the MV Hondius has tested positive for hantavirus. The test resulted in a “presumptive positive” test result for the virus, Canadian officials said Saturday.
Results from the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg to confirm the case are expected to come over the weekend, said Dr. Bonnie Henry, the public health officer for the province of British Columbia.
“Clearly, this is not what we hoped for, but it is what we planned for,” Henry said as reported by CNN. “It is encouraging that symptoms were identified early, supportive care can be provided, and they will be monitored carefully over the next few days,” Henry said.
The person who tested positive was one member of a couple in their 70s. The individual began showing mild symptoms, including a fever and headache, two days ago. Both people are in a hospital in Victoria.
“The patient is stable, the symptoms remain mild at this point,” said Henry. “They are still in the hospital, in isolation, being monitored and receiving care as needed.”
Even though the second person was exhibiting minor symptoms, they did not test positive for the virus.
The current strain that infected people on the cruise ship is known as the Andes strain. This virus is a type of hantavirus that can cause a severe respiratory disease in people, called Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS).
Early symptoms of HPS due to the Andes virus can include fatigue, fever, and muscle aches, especially in the large muscle groups like the thighs, hips, back, and sometimes shoulders.
Three people have died since the hantavirus outbreak began on the MV Hondius. If confirmed, the Canadian patient would be the 10th person from the ship to test positive. Nine of the 12 cases have been confirmed.
Henry added that this outbreak does not have pandemic potential.