Hantavirus: Eight contacts of French patient repatriated to Paris for quarantine

Eight people identified as contacts of a French woman who fell seriously ill with hantavirus have been repatriated to Paris and placed under quarantine due to an increased risk assessment, health authorities said.

The woman, a French national and former passenger aboard the MV Hondius, is in a serious condition after contracting the virus, Caliber.Az reports, citing a French news channel.

Officials stressed, however, that there is currently no evidence of hantavirus circulation within mainland France.

Health Minister Stéphanie Rist sought to reassure the public on Tuesday, May 12, alongside medical specialists, to ease growing concerns in a country still sensitive to infectious disease threats following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Authorities say monitoring and preventive measures are continuing, while reiterating that the situation remains contained.

The WHO has confirmed a hantavirus outbreak aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius after three deaths and 11 reported cases among nearly 150 passengers and crew during a voyage from Tierra del Fuego towards Cape Verde.

Most confirmed infections are linked to the Andes strain of hantavirus, a rare “New World” variant capable of limited human-to-human transmission through prolonged close contact. Health experts stress that such transmission is uncommon and far less efficient than viruses like SARS-CoV-2.

Hantavirus infections are typically acquired from exposure to infected rodent droppings rather than person-to-person spread, and global case numbers remain very low. In the United States, fewer than 900 cases were recorded over three decades.

Authorities are now focusing on contact tracing and symptom monitoring of passengers, with experts saying the overall public risk remains low provided containment measures continue effectively.

By Aghakazim Guliyev