90-Second Read: Passenger Evacuated from Hantavirus-Hit Cruise Ship Tests Positive for Disease in Spain

A Spanish national who was on board the MV Hondius cruise ship has tested positive for Hantavirus over two weeks after being evacuated from the vessel. They are the second Spaniard from the ship to test positive for the virus, CNN reported, while the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control data suggests there have now been a total of 11 confirmed and two probable cases. Health authorities around the world have been trying to contain the Hantavirus outbreak in recent weeks after the MV Hondius departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1.

The patient was one of 14 Spanish nationals who were on board the Hantavirus-hit ship, Reuters reported. In its statement, the Spanish Ministry of Health confirmed the new positive case, explaining that the patient was found to have been in close contact with someone infected after authorities began investigating the outbreak. The department said the positive case was detected during the regular checks carried out on the passengers, and reassured the public that it doesn't change the level of risk for the general population.

After the ship stopped in Saint Helena, an island in the Atlantic Ocean, on April 24, 30 passengers disembarked, including the deceased passenger's widow, who died two days later in the hospital in South Africa. As well as the 14 Spanish nationals taken to Madrid, other MV Hondius passengers were flown to countries including the U.K., the Netherlands and the U.S. On Monday, May 18, the ship arrived in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, where the remaining people on the ship disembarked. When the vessel arrived in the Spanish island of Tenerife on May 10, they were all evacuated and flown to Madrid to quarantine, per CNN.