PARIS: A French woman infected during the deadly hantavirus outbreak aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius is in critical condition and receiving treatment using an artificial lung, doctors in Paris said, as the number of reported cases linked to the outbreak rose to 11.
According to health officials, nine infections have been confirmed while two others remain probable cases. Three people, including a Dutch couple believed to be among the first infected passengers, have died.
Dr Xavier Lescure of Bichat Hospital in Paris said the French patient is suffering from severe lung and heart complications caused by the virus.
He said she is being treated with a life-support system that pumps blood through an artificial lung to provide oxygen while reducing pressure on her organs.
Long incubation period
The outbreak began aboard the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius, which is now sailing back to the Netherlands for cleaning and disinfection after all passengers and many crew members were evacuated in Spain’s Canary Islands.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said confirmed and suspected infections so far remain limited to passengers and crew from the ship.
“At the moment, there is no sign that we are seeing the start of a larger outbreak,” Tedros said, while warning that more cases could emerge because the virus has a long incubation period.
Authorities in Argentina are preparing an investigation into the possible origin of the outbreak, which may be linked to rodent exposure during a South American tour before the cruise began.
