B.C. health officials say the hantavirus cruise ship passenger from the Yukon who became ill from the virus has been discharged from hospital.
The Yukon resident, who was confirmed to have tested positive for hantavirus in mid-May, is still recovering, the B.C. Office of the Provincial Health Officer confirmed to Black Press Media Thursday (June 25).
The individual was part of a couple from the Yukon that was isolating together. They tested positive for the Andes strain on May 15 from a “presumptive positive” after feeling mild symptoms.
They were then transferred to hospital.
Their partner ended up testing negative, though they had experienced mild symptoms. They are set to finish their quarantine period on Friday, June 26. They remain asymptomatic and have been assessed by Island Health public health teams.
The other two passengers isolating in B.C. ended their quarantine on June 21. They were also regularly assessed and remained asymptomatic.
The four were on the MV Hondius which was hit by hantavirus in May. A cluster of passengers with severe respiratory illness aboard the ship were reported to the World Health Organization on May 2.
They arrived in B.C. at the Victoria International Airport on May 10 and were set to isolate for a minimum of 21 days, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said at the time.
Two of the passengers are a couple in their 70s from the Yukon, another person is in their 70s and from Vancouver Island and the fourth person is in their 50s and from B.C. but living abroad.
The person, who lives on the Island, lives alone and was isolating at home. The other three were in facilities that Island Health had procured, Henry said, with the couple isolating together and the fourth person isolating separately.
– With files from Bailey Seymour