Flight attendant hospitalised with symptoms after contact with hantavirus patient

A flight attendant in the Netherlands was hospitalised after brief contact with a hantavirus-infected cruise passenger. Three people -- a Dutch couple and a German national -- died in the outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius.

In Short

• 3 people died and eight suspected cases reported on MV Hondius cruise ship
• Passengers, crew under daily health monitoring, international tracing underway
• Andean hantavirus strain rare human-to-human transmission possible

A flight attendant in the Netherlands has been hospitalised after coming into contact with a cruise ship passenger infected with hantavirus. The airline staff member, believed to be a KLM stewardess, was admitted to a hospital in Amsterdam and placed in isolation after developing mild symptoms, the New York Post reported citing Dutch media reports. Health officials said she had brief contact with an elderly Dutch passenger who later collapsed and died.

Three people -- a Dutch couple and a German national -- died in the outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius. Eight people, including a Swiss national, are suspected to have caught the virus, which usually spreads through contact with infected rodents, the World Health Organisation said.

Authorities said the infected Dutch woman had been evacuated from the ship after her husband, aged 70, died onboard. She was transferred to Johannesburg on April 25 to travel to the Netherlands but was deemed too ill to fly.

"Due to the passenger’s medical condition at the time, the crew decided not to allow the passenger to travel on the flight," a KLM spokesperson said. The woman boarded the flight briefly before being removed. She later collapsed at the airport and died in hospital a day later.

PASSENGERS, CREW UNDER DAILY MONITORING

The flight attendant who had contact with her was later picked up from her home in Haarlem after reporting mild symptoms. Officials have not confirmed her diagnosis but said testing is ongoing. Passengers and crew who assisted the woman are now under active monitoring. Dutch authorities have begun daily health checks, while international agencies are working to trace individuals who may have been exposed.

Countries including the United States, France and Argentina have launched precautionary measures as they assess potential exposure risks. The World Health Organisation said eight additional suspected cases have been identified. Passengers who disembarked earlier in the voyage, including those who left at St Helena in the South Atlantic, have been contacted. The ship’s operator said the group included travellers from at least 12 countries.

The MV Hondius, which had been stranded off Cape Verde with around 150 people onboard, is now sailing towards Spain’s Tenerife, where remaining passengers are expected to disembark under controlled conditions. Evacuations have already begun, with several individuals transferred to hospitals in the Netherlands and Germany for testing and treatment.

RARE HUMAN-TO-HUMAN TRANSMISSION POSSIBLE

The virus involved in the outbreak has been identified as the Andean strain of hantavirus. Health experts note that while the virus is typically transmitted through exposure to infected rodent droppings, human-to-human transmission is possible in rare cases involving very close contact.

Several suspected cases are still being closely monitored across Europe. A patient in Switzerland has shown symptoms linked to hantavirus, while a Danish traveller has been asked to self-isolate as a precaution. Those evacuated from the ship are also being tested. Among them is British national Martin Anstee, who said he was "doing okay" but undergoing further checks.

- Ends
With inputs from agencies