TORONTO — Three people with connections to a deadly hantavirus-stricken cruise are isolating at home in Ontario and Quebec, the federal government said Thursday as consular officials headed to the Canary Islands to meet four Canadians who remain on the ship.
The individuals are being monitored for symptoms of hantavirus, which can cause severe respiratory illness. The cruise, operated by a major line, has been linked to multiple cases and at least one death, according to health authorities.
Global Affairs Canada confirmed that consular staff are providing assistance to the four Canadians still aboard the vessel. The ship remains docked in the Canary Islands as local health officials conduct investigations.
Health officials advise that hantavirus is not transmitted between people but through contact with infected rodents or their droppings. The source of the outbreak on the cruise is under investigation.
