French passenger from hantavirus-hit cruise ship tests positive for the virus

Prime Minister Sebastien ​Lecornu will hold a ⁠meeting on the hantavirus crisis later today.

Hantavirus ShipPassengers are disembarked from the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius at the port of Granadilla in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, Sunday, May 10, 2026. (AP Photo)
1 min readMay 11, 2026 01:57 PM IST First published on: May 11, 2026 at 01:55 PM IST

A French passenger who was on a cruise ship hit by a hantavirus outbreak has tested positive for the virus and her ⁠condition ​is deteriorating, French Health Minister Stephanie Rist said on Monday.

The passenger was among five French people ​who ​were on the ship. The ⁠four other passengers tested negative but will be re-tested, she ‌told France Inter radio, adding that so far French authorities have traced 22 contact cases.

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“What is key, is to act at the start and ⁠break ⁠the virus transmission chains. This is what we are doing ⁠with ‌the Prime Minister, notably ​with a decree that ‌came out today that will allow us to strengthen isolation ‌measures for ​contact ​cases ​and to protect the population,” she said.

Prime Minister Sebastien ​Lecornu will hold a ⁠meeting on the hantavirus crisis later today.

Asked if France had enough masks ‌and ⁠tests to cope with a potential crisis, Rist said: “Yes, ​France is ready.”

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