The last two evacuation planes carrying passengers and crew from the cruise ship affected by a deadly hantavirus outbreak have landed in the Netherlands. A repatriated US passenger tested positive for the respiratory infection, according to health officials.
The two planes transported the remaining individuals from the ship, which had been quarantined after multiple cases of hantavirus were confirmed. The virus, which can cause severe respiratory illness, has been linked to several deaths in the outbreak.
Health authorities in the Netherlands are monitoring the evacuated passengers and crew for symptoms. The US passenger who tested positive is receiving medical care, and contact tracing is underway to prevent further spread.
The cruise ship had been held at port while investigations into the source of the outbreak continued. The evacuation marks the end of a complex operation to repatriate those on board.
