Canada contacts 26 additional low-risk hantavirus exposures linked to cruise ship outbreak

Canadian public health authorities are contacting 26 additional residents who travelled on connecting flights with a confirmed Andes hantavirus case originating from the MV Hondius cruise ship outbreak. These individuals are classified as low-risk because they had no direct or prolonged contact with the symptomatic case. The outbreak, first identified in early May 2026, has resulted in 11 confirmed infections and 3 deaths (Dutch couple and German national). Canada's total number of connected individuals now reaches 36, including 9 high-risk contacts. Federal authorities are not mandating testing or isolation for asymptomatic low-risk cases, though provincial health units retain discretion—Ontario requires 45-day isolation for seven residents while Quebec recommends symptom monitoring. The U.S. CDC is monitoring 41 individuals with no confirmed cases reported.