Deadly hantavirus outbreak spreads on cruise ship as patient fights for life on artificial lung

A hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship has grown to at least 11 reported cases, with one French woman critically ill and receiving life-support treatment in a Paris hospital, doctors said.

Medical staff at Bichat Hospital in Paris said the woman is suffering from a severe form of the disease that has caused life-threatening damage to her lungs and heart. She is currently being treated using an artificial lung device that circulates and oxygenates her blood, in what doctors described as the most advanced level of supportive care, News.Az reports, citing Associated Press.

Health officials confirmed that three people have died in connection with the outbreak, including a Dutch couple believed to have been exposed to the virus during travel in South America. In total, 11 cases have been reported, nine of them confirmed.

Doctors said the evacuated French passenger is in critical condition, while another recently confirmed case involves a Spanish passenger who tested positive after being transferred from the ship and placed in quarantine at a military hospital in Madrid.

The cruise ship MV Hondius has been fully evacuated and is now returning to the Netherlands for disinfection and cleaning procedures.

The World Health Organization said all known cases have so far been limited to passengers and crew, and there is currently no evidence of wider community transmission. However, officials warned that the situation could evolve due to the virus’s long incubation period.

Health experts noted that there is no specific cure or vaccine for hantavirus, but early diagnosis and intensive supportive care can improve survival chances.

News.Az 

By Leyla Şirinova