A French national who was evacuated from the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship, where three passengers died of the rat-borne illness, has begun experiencing symptoms of the disease, officials said Sunday.
The French national, who was not publicly named, was en route to a hospital in Paris along with four others when they began to show symptoms of the hantavirus, Prime Minister Sebastian Lecornu said in a statement.
As a result, all five French citizens, who were evacuated from the MV Hondius, have been placed in immediate isolation until further notice, the premier added.
The sick citizen was being flown from Tenerife to Paris when the symptoms began manifesting, sparking fears of a wider outbreak as more than 20 nations seek to repatriate their citizens who were onboard the ship where the hantavirus infections emerged.
More than 90 tourists were ferried home from the Dutch vessel on Sunday by a team of hazmat-wearing emergency workers.
Professionals wearing similar full-body protective equipment were seen at France’s Le Bourget Airport when the five nationals landed early Sunday.
The five French citizens were loaded onto ambulances and taken to Paris’ Bichat hospital, where they will be under quarantine for three days and given a full assessment, according to France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.
After the quarantine period, the French cruise passengers will be sent home to self-isolate for a total of 45 days, the ministry added.
There were also 17 Americans among the evacuated heading home for evaluation. The US nationals are bound for the National Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
The World Health Organization has recommended a 42-day isolation period for the passengers of the ill-fated vessel, with the outbreak leading to the deaths of three people so far.
Five others from the ill-fated cruise, not counting the French national, have become seriously sick with the hantavirus, which has a 38% fatality rate.
Acting CDC Director Jay Bhattacharya downplayed fears that the isolated outbreak would result in a COVID-19-like pandemic, noting that previous outbreaks of hantavirus have been successfully contained in the past.