Around 30 people under observation in Canada over suspected hantavirus exposure

Canadian public health authorities are contacting 26 individuals across the country for monitoring of hantavirus symptoms, with their risk level classified as “low,” Dr Joss Reimer, chief public health officer, has stated.

She explained that all of the passengers had been on flights with a confirmed hantavirus case, but they are not regarded as close contacts because of their seating positions on the aircraft, Caliber.Az reports, citing Canadian media.

Reimer noted that European health authorities had assessed the passengers as posing no risk, while Canada is adopting a “precautionary approach and we have deemed them to be minimal or low risk as opposed to no risk.” She did not disclose the country of departure for the flight.

The Public Health Agency of Canada is not recommending isolation for the 26 low-risk individuals, although Reimer said provincial and territorial health authorities may decide otherwise as they complete more detailed assessments.

At present, nine people in Canada—located in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia—have been categorised as high-risk exposure cases and have been instructed to self-isolate.

In Ontario, public health officials are not testing three isolated passengers, saying the screening would not produce useful results.

In British Columbia, four individuals are also isolating, with the province’s chief medical officer stating they are in a “very critical phase of the incubation period.”

Alberta health officials said that their two travelers are isolating at home.

“If they display symptoms, testing will be conducted but, as noted, there have been zero symptoms to date,” said Tom McMillan, spokesperson for the Alberta Primary Health Ministry.

Authorities said those nine higher-risk individuals were either passengers on the affected MV Hondius cruise ship or had close contact with an infected person during a flight.

Reimer added that no cases of hantavirus symptoms have been detected in Canada so far, and reiterated that the “overall risk to the general population” connected to the outbreak “remains low.”

“We have robust processes and procedures in place and further spread of the virus within Canada is not expected,” she said, noting, “We are taking the situation and our commitment to supporting the health of Canadians, both here and abroad very seriously.”

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov