health
Version of hantavirus behind deadly cruise ship outbreak matches known strain, France says
France's Pasteur Institute said it has fully sequenced the Andes virus detected in a French passenger from the MV Hondius cruise ship and found it matched viruses already known in South America, with no evidence so far of new characteristics that would make it more transmissible or more dangerous.
TL;DR
- The Andes virus detected in a French passenger from the MV Hondius cruise ship has been fully sequenced by France's Pasteur Institute.
- The sequenced virus matches known viruses circulating in South America.
- There is no current evidence suggesting the virus has developed new characteristics that would increase its transmissibility or danger.
- The Andes virus is the only form of hantavirus capable of person-to-person transmission.
- Genomic analysis shows the virus found on the ship is identical to those in other patients and approximately 97% similar to known South American Andes virus samples.
- The hantavirus outbreak on the ship has reached 10 cases, with eight confirmed and three deaths.
- Passengers evacuated from the ship are being monitored in their home countries.
- The data from the sequencing will be shared with the international scientific community.