A person in isolation in Peel Region, Ontario, is under observation for hantavirus symptoms, confirmed by provincial Health Minister Sylvia Jones on Monday. This individual marks the third case being monitored for the virus within the province. In Grey Bruce, Ontario, a couple is also isolating after potential exposure to hantavirus-infected passengers on a cruise ship.
Health Minister Jones mentioned that both parties remain asymptomatic while being closely monitored by local public health authorities. Peel Public Health, providing daily assistance to the isolated individual, confirmed that the person is a visitor to Canada, not a local resident, and had contact with a confirmed hantavirus case.
The risk of transmission to the broader Peel community is deemed very low as per Peel Public Health, reassuring residents that no additional precautions are necessary. The individual in Peel was reportedly exposed to the Andes strain of hantavirus during a flight, as stated by Mark Johnson, a Public Health Agency of Canada spokesperson.
As of Monday, nine Canadians have been identified as potentially exposed to the virus, with five isolating at home, including the aforementioned couple in Grey Bruce. The remaining four individuals disembarked the MV Hondius cruise ship in Spain’s Canary Islands and were flown to British Columbia for isolation upon arrival.
Quebec public health disclosed that one person initially considered at high risk due to potential exposure on a flight was later deemed low risk. Health Minister Jones emphasized that asymptomatic individuals under isolation will not undergo testing unless symptoms manifest, following advice from Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s chief medical officer.
The duration of isolation and monitoring for the person in Peel was not specified by Jones, though it was previously mentioned that the couple in Grey Bruce would be monitored for 45 days, the virus’s maximum incubation period. Hantavirus pulmonary infection fatality rates vary depending on the strain, with the Andes strain requiring extremely close contact for transmission between individuals.
According to the World Health Organization, nine hantavirus cases have been confirmed as of Monday morning, with seven linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship outbreak, resulting in three fatalities.