The cruise ship MV Hondius anchors near the port of Granadilla, on 10 May, 2026 in Granadilla de Abona, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. The evacuation operation of the MV Hondius cruise ship with hantavirus is ready to begin operations to disembark …
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Canada’s national health agency confirmed Sunday that one of four Canadians who returned from a cruise ship affected by a hantavirus outbreak has tested positive for the virus.
The Public Health Agency of Canada confirmed the positive test a day after the public health officer for the province of British Columbia said the person had received a "presumptive positive" but further testing would be conducted at the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg.
This browser does not support the Video element.
CDC: 41 people in 11 states monitored for potential Hantavirus exposure
The CDC is monitoring 41 people for potential Hantavirus exposure. World Health Organization's Tarik Jasarevic joins LiveNOW from FOX to talk about the latest.
What they're saying:
"One individual’s sample was confirmed positive for hantavirus," the national agency said in a statement.
RELATED: Hochul calls other governors, talks hantavirus strategy
A second individual who was a traveling partner of the confirmed case was confirmed negative, the statement said. Both people, a couple in their 70s from the Yukon, are in a hospital in Victoria.
This browser does not support the Video element.
Understanding hantavirus as passengers return home
We are learning this Monday that one American has tested positive for hantavirus and at least one other is showing mild symptoms. This comes as the group of 18 passengers from the outbreak-stricken ship arrived back in the United States. LiveNOW’s Shawna Khalafi is speaking with Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, who is an infectious disease internist and educator in San Francisco, CA.
Dig deeper:
The four Canadian cruise passengers returned to British Columbia last Sunday. Besides the couple, there was a person in their 70s from Vancouver Island and a British Columbia person in their 50s who lives abroad.
All are in isolation.
RELATED: Hantavirus in Minnesota: Officials monitor person who might have been exposed
Three people have died since the hantavirus outbreak began on the cruise ship MV Hondius. The Canadian patient is the 10th person from the ship to test positive.
Among the three who died are a Dutch couple who health officials believe were the first exposed to the virus while visiting South America.
The Source: The Associated Press contributed to this report. The information in this story came from statements released by the Public Health Agency of Canada and public health officials in British Columbia. This story was reported from Los Angeles.