A resident in Ontario’s Peel Region is currently in isolation under observation for symptoms related to hantavirus, as stated by provincial Health Minister Sylvia Jones on Monday. This individual marks the third case under monitoring for hantavirus in the province. In Grey Bruce Ont., a couple has also entered isolation after potential exposure to hantavirus-infected passengers on a cruise ship.
Health Minister Jones mentioned during a press conference that both cases remain asymptomatic, with local public health units closely monitoring their health status. Peel Public Health confirmed that the person in isolation is a visitor to Canada and had contact with a confirmed hantavirus case, emphasizing the low risk to the broader Peel community.
This individual in Peel was potentially exposed to the Andes strain of hantavirus during a flight, according to Mark Johnson, spokesperson for the Public Health Agency of Canada. Currently, nine Canadians, including the couple in Grey Bruce, are isolating due to possible hantavirus exposure. Four individuals from the MV Hondius cruise ship in Spain’s Canary Islands have been relocated to British Columbia for isolation.
Quebec public health authorities reported that one person previously considered a high-risk contact is no longer under close monitoring. Health officials have decided not to conduct tests on asymptomatic individuals, following advice from Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health. The monitoring process involves observing for any arising symptoms during the isolation period.
While details on the duration of isolation in Peel were not disclosed, Moore suggested a 45-day monitoring period for the couple in Grey Bruce, considering the virus’s potential incubation period. The fatality rate of hantavirus pulmonary infection varies between 20 and 50 percent depending on the virus strain. The Andes strain, known for person-to-person transmission, necessitates close contact for spread.
The World Health Organization has confirmed a total of nine hantavirus cases, with seven linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship outbreak, resulting in three fatalities. The situation continues to be closely monitored by health authorities.
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