French flag. Photo: Shutterstock France has raised its alert level following a hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius vessel, after five French nationals were repatriated and one developed symptoms during the rescue flight.
France's defense minister, Sébastien Lecornu, announced that all five passengers were immediately placed under strict medical isolation, where they are being monitored and will undergo a series of medical tests and evaluations.
This move follows recent days in which Spanish health authorities, in cooperation with World Health Organization experts, began the gradual evacuation of the ship's passengers from the Port of Tenerife.
At the same time, the French government issued a special emergency order enabling authorities to impose quarantine and isolation not only on the ship's passengers but also on those who had contact with them and are considered at risk of infection. According to the order, the isolation period can be as long as 42 days.
The order also states: Passengers who were on certain international flights connected to the cruise route have been asked to report to health authorities and undergo a medical risk assessment.
MV Hondius vessel. Photo: Mystic Stock Photography / Shutterstock.comThe main concern involves the Andes strain of the hantavirus, which is considered relatively rare. Unlike most strains, typically transmitted from rodents to humans, there have been isolated cases of human-to-human transmission with this variant.
According to the World Health Organization, the risk to the general public is still considered low, but the fact that a French passenger developed symptoms during the flight led the French authorities to implement especially strict preventive measures.
The initial symptoms of hantavirus infection often resemble the flu and include:
- High fever
- Muscle aches
- Weakness and fatigue
- Headaches
- Nausea and vomiting
In more severe cases, the virus can cause significant respiratory distress and even life-threatening complications.
According to the official document released in France, authorities will continue isolation and medical monitoring of the passengers and those who had contact with them, under the supervision of health authorities and local police.
At this stage, French officials emphasize that these are preventive steps intended to stop any chance of widespread outbreak, as monitoring of ship passengers continues in other European countries as well.