90-Second Read: Spanish government confirms new case of Hantavirus linked to cruise ship

The Spanish government said Monday that it has confirmed a new case of Hantavirus connected to the MV Hondius cruise ship that made headlines when three individuals died after contracting Hantavirus during their voyage earlier this month. On May 12, Spain's health ministry announced that a Spanish passenger evacuated from the cruise ship at the centre of the Hantavirus outbreak had tested positive for the virus. But the Hantavirus that has caused the current outbreak, called the Andes virus, may be able to spread between people in rare cases.

Spain's Ministry of Health said that a new positive Hantavirus case has been confirmed in one of the individuals remaining in preventive quarantine at Gómez Ulla Hospital. The patient is the second Spaniard aboard the MV Hondius to test positive for Hantavirus. The patient who yesterday tested provisionally positive has been confirmed as positive for Hantavirus.

On Friday, Spain's Ministry of Health updated its Hantavirus protocol. Tedros Abhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the WHO, said he had received a message on Saturday from MV Hondius Captain Jan Dobrogowski, who had finally left the cruise ship. The Health Ministry said that the affected person had been under clinical surveillance and isolation since their admission, in accordance with the protocols established by the Early Warning and Rapid Response System.