An American passenger from the Hondius cruise ship has tested positive for the Andes strain of hantavirus, a rare respiratory disease. The US update marks the first confirmed US-linked infection tied to the cruise.
The passenger, along with 16 others, is being flown to the US via a State Department airlift, with two passengers traveling in biocontainment units 'out of an abundance of caution.'
France has taken the strictest measures of any European Union country, isolating all 17 French passengers for 42 days after a French woman developed symptoms on a repatriation flight.
The World Health Organization has assessed the overall global risk as low, but health authorities are taking extensive precautions after a multi-country response to evacuate passengers from the Dutch-flagged ship.
