Hantavirus hits France: 6 confirmed cases and 22 contacts

On Monday, French Health Minister Stephanie Rest announced that a French citizen was confirmed to be infected with the Hantavirus among the passengers evacuated from the cruise ship "MV Hondios". The minister noted that 22 cases of contact had been recorded within French territory, raising a new health concern. The World Health Organization has so far recorded six confirmed cases of hantavirus out of eight suspected cases, including three deaths. This virus Rare and medically known, there is no vaccine or medication available, and it can cause an acute respiratory syndrome that can be fatal. The crisis over the Hundeus, which was due to return to the Netherlands on Monday, has sparked widespread international concern. The situation brought back memories of the COVID-19 pandemic, even though the current virus is quite different in nature and prevalence. The minister revealed in statements to France Inter radio that the case of one of the five returned passengers to Paris “unfortunately deteriorated tonight,” and medical tests showed she was infected with the virus. All five passengers were placed under quarantine at the hospital. The minister reassured the citizens that the patients were “placed in the hospital in rooms equipped with advanced airflow systems that prevent the spread of infection.” Patients are fully isolated and will remain under strict medical supervision for a minimum of 15 days. For her part, government spokeswoman Maud Prejun announced Prime Minister Sebastian Lucorno will hold an emergency meeting in the afternoon to “closely follow the development of the situation.” The French government is taking this new health development extremely seriously to ensure that the virus does not spread.