The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday that the number of Hantavirus cases linked to an outbreak on a cruise ship has risen to 13 after Spain reported one more case.
The new patient is a Spanish passenger who has been in quarantine at Madrid's Gómez Ulla Central Defense Hospital since May 10, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on social media. Spanish authorities said the patient was identified as a close contact through monitoring carried out after the outbreak was first detected on the cruise ship. After testing positive, the patient was moved to the hospital's High-Level Isolation Unit, where they are receiving specialized medical care.
This is the second Spanish passenger from the cruise ship Hondius to test positive. According to the WHO, there are now 11 confirmed cases linked to the outbreak as of May 26. Spain's health ministry said the new case was found within the existing isolation and monitoring system, and added that it does not increase the risk to the general public or change the current response measures.
The WHO had earlier warned that more cases could appear because symptoms can take up to six weeks to develop.
So far, a total of 13 cases have been reported, including 11 confirmed and two probable cases. Notably, no new deaths have been reported since May 2. The outbreak has affected passengers and crew from several countries, including the Netherlands, Switzerland, France, Canada, Spain, and the U.K. The three people who died were a Dutch couple and a German woman.
Hantavirus is usually spread by infected rats. However, the Andes strain linked to this outbreak is the only known type that can spread from person to person.
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