First Canadian – Health officials say a Yukon resident isolating in British Columbia has tested positive for Andes hantavirus. The case was first treated as presumptive after symptoms developed during isolation following exposure on an Antarctic cruise ship, and the confirmati
Canada’s first confirmed case of Andes hantavirus has been identified in a patient isolating in British Columbia, after earlier testing pointed to a presumptive result.
On Saturday, B.C.. provincial health officer Dr.. Bonnie Henry said one of four Canadians isolating after exposure to a rare strain of hantavirus aboard an Antarctic cruise ship had developed symptoms and recently tested positive.. The patient is a Yukon resident who was isolating in B.C.. when Henry said they developed mild symptoms—including a fever and headache—two days earlier.
Henry said the patient and their partner were transferred to hospital in Victoria for assessment and testing. The positive result was considered presumptive pending confirmatory testing from Canada’s National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg, Henry said.
That confirmatory confirmation was announced in a news release on Sunday. Public health officials said the patient’s partner has tested negative.
Of the four people brought to B.C., officials said a third has been transferred to hospital out of “an abundance of caution,” while the fourth traveller continues isolating at home.
The World Health Organization identified the strain aboard the cruise ship as the Andes strain earlier this week. The WHO said the Andes virus can spread from person to person unlike most forms of hantavirus, and also said overall public risk remains low.
As of Sunday, health officials said no further cases of Andes hantavirus have been identified. They added that all nine Canadians who had high-risk exposure are isolating and will continue to be monitored closely by public health; those individuals are in Ontario, Alberta and B.C.
“We want to thank public health authorities and front-line staff in British Columbia for the dedicated care that they are providing and for their ongoing management of the situation. and the passengers for their cooperation with public health direction to help keep others safe. ” said Dr.. Joss Reimer, chief public health officer of Canada.
Beyond the high-risk group, another 27 people across the country are being monitored for symptoms after sharing flights with a person confirmed to have hantavirus. Officials said other passengers on those flights are not considered close contacts because of where they were seated.
A key sequence emerged as officials moved from presumptive to confirmed results: the Yukon resident developed mild symptoms while isolating in B.C.. was transferred to hospital in Victoria for testing. received a presumptive positive result pending confirmatory work at Canada’s National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg. and then that confirmation led to reporting that the patient’s partner tested negative and that monitoring would continue for both high-risk isolating passengers and others exposed through flights.
Canada British Columbia hantavirus Andes strain Yukon resident Dr. Bonnie Henry National Microbiology Laboratory Winnipeg Victoria hospital Antarctic cruise public health monitoring