A hantavirus outbreak linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius has now reached 11 confirmed cases in France, with one patient critically ill, the New York Times reported. Passengers were photographed disembarking the vessel on Monday as health authorities scrambled to trace contacts and contain the spread.
Hantaviruses are typically spread through contact with infected rodents or their droppings and can cause severe respiratory illness. While outbreaks are relatively rare in Western Europe, the cluster’s size and severity — particularly the critical condition of one patient — have put French health authorities on high alert.
