Confirmation of new Hanta virus infections among passengers of the stricken ship after evacuation operations

Madrid —
Two passengers have been confirmed infected with the Hanta virus and symptoms appeared on a third passenger, after they were evacuated from the cruise ship that witnessed a deadly outbreak of the virus during its journey across the Atlantic Ocean.

The confirmed cases include a French female passenger and an American male passenger, while another American passenger is under observation after showing symptoms related to the virus, at a time when international health authorities continue to track contacts and impose quarantine and strict monitoring measures.

These developments come after the death of three passengers during the trip, turning the incident into one of the most serious Hanta virus outbreaks associated with cruise ships in recent years.

The ship had sailed from South America before mysterious illnesses began to appear among the passengers, with the crisis escalating rapidly with recorded deaths and critical cases that prompted authorities to carry out large-scale evacuations as soon as the ship arrived at the Canary Islands.

Passengers and the ship's crew were subjected to medical examinations and precautionary isolation, while a number of the infected were transferred to hospitals in Europe and the United States after their health conditions deteriorated.

The current outbreak raises special concern among health authorities due to suspicion of its association with the "Andes" strain of the Hanta virus, the only strain known for its limited human-to-human transmission, unlike most types of the virus which usually spread through rodents or their waste.

International public health teams continue to investigate the source of the infection and how it spread inside the ship, including reviewing the movements of passengers and activities that took place during the trip.

Tracking of passengers who left the ship before full quarantine was imposed also continues, amid fears of additional cases emerging in the coming days due to the virus's incubation period which may extend for weeks.

The Hanta virus is known as a rare but serious disease, as it can lead to severe respiratory complications and organ failure, with a high mortality rate in some strains associated with South America.