France detected its first hantavirus case involving a French national who was evacuated from the MV Hondius cruise ship in Spain and admitted to intensive care on May 10 [1]. The hantavirus strain identified is the Andes virus, notable for its ability to spread between humans, unlike typical rodent-transmitted strains [1].
Following the evacuation, eight individuals who had contact with the infected patient were repatriated to Paris and placed under quarantine on May 11 [1]. Five of these contacts were admitted to Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris, one was transferred from Rennes hospital, and two others remain quarantined in Paris [1]. Health authorities enforced hospital isolation for all contacts, adhering strictly to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines [2, 1]. Health official Lecornu stated, "Our health response is clear: for all contact cases, without exception, reinforced quarantine in a hospital setting" [1].
The French Health Minister Stephanie Rist said there have been no signs of virus circulation within France [1]. WHO reports indicate there have been 11 confirmed hantavirus infections and 3 deaths from this outbreak globally [1]. Despite the absence of local transmission, the virus’s long incubation period complicates efforts to rule out further spread at this time [2].
French authorities have implemented strict quarantine measures, with the WHO recommending a quarantine period of 42 days for contacts [1]. On May 12, the government announced the isolation of infected patients and contacts in Paris hospitals as part of their containment measures [2, 1].
