Hantavirus Detected in France Tourist Now Isolated in Spain
Health officials are tracing the patient’s travel as experts coordinate a Europe-wide response to the only hantavirus strain known to spread between people.
- On Aug 6, a Franco-Argentine national was isolated in Spain after testing positive for the Andes strain of hantavirus, the only version transmissible between humans.
- Hantavirus is a rare virus typically spread by rodents, for which no vaccines or specific treatments exist; this Andes strain requires urgent containment.
- The French health ministry said "all measures" are in place to "trace the stages of the person's journey," with Europe-wide coordination being established.
- Authorities have not indicated a link to the deadly Andes outbreak on the Hondius cruise ship earlier this year, which resulted in 13 cases and three deaths.
- Separately, a French woman who contracted the virus on the Hondius was discharged from intensive care on Aug 6 after nearly three months in hospital.
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The health authorities immediately initiated a search for contact cases to identify potentially contaminated persons.
The patient lives in Argentina and, during his stay in France, visited Nueva Aquitaine, Isla de Francia and Normandy.The authorities look for the contacts with which he was, although his case is slight.
A Franco-Argentine, who is currently in Spain, has been diagnosed positive for Hantaviruses in the Andes. He visited Hexagon last July. The health authorities advise to isolate at their home all people who have had close contact with him. - Hantavirus: the authorities recommend the isolation at home of "the closest contacts" of the positive tourist (Health and well-being).
Several months after the outbreak on a cruise ship, the virus was detected in the man. He had only slight symptoms and is now free of complaints
Medical Xpress
Hantavirus detected in France tourist now isolated in Spain
A case of hantavirus, which recently sparked international alarm, has been detected in a Franco-Argentine national who vacationed in France in July before being placed in isolation in Spain, the French Health Ministry said Thursday.
Travellers do not require hospital admission because by referring symptoms before their arrival in Spain, the epidemiological risk is reduced.
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