Four Canadians who were stuck on the cruise ship at the centre of a hantavirus outbreak are en route to Quebec, where they’re expected to land before moving on to British Columbia for quarantine.
The Public Health Agency of Canada and Global Affairs Canada chartered the flight for the Canadians and are co-ordinating their return to Canada, with support from the armed forces.
A PHAC officer is on board the flight overseeing public health measures, including masking and physical distancing.
Federal officials say the travellers were assessed as asymptomatic before they took off from Tenerife, Spain.
They had also been following strict isolation protocols on the MV Hondius since early May.
The passengers are expected to quarantine under supervision for just over two weeks after they arrive in B.C.
That will bring their total quarantine time to 21 days since May 6, the last day a confirmed case of hantavirus was on the ship.
Three people have died since the outbreak began, and five passengers who left the ship are infected with hantavirus, which can cause life-threatening illness.
Hantavirus usually spreads when people inhale contaminated residue of rodent droppings and isn’t easily transmitted between people. But the Andes virus detected in the cruise ship outbreak may be able to spread between people in rare cases. Symptoms usually show between one and eight weeks after exposure.
Health authorities in B.C. will monitor the Canadians throughout their isolation and reassess their status at the end of the period, with the possibility of extending quarantine up to 42 days depending on risk assessment and World Health Organization guidance.
During isolation, the government says the travellers will have access to medical care, testing if symptoms develop, and mental health and psychosocial support. Public health officials will continue to follow up in coordination with provincial authorities.
Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer, says in a written statement that she understands people in the province may be concerned, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic, but notes that the virus is very different from respiratory illnesses such as COVID-19.
“It does not spread in the same way and is not considered a disease with pandemic potential,” Henry says.
She says health officials are taking every measure to minimize or eliminate the risk to public.
“At no point during their arrival or isolation period will they be in contact with the public,” Henry says. “They will be monitored daily by local public health teams to ensure that they remain well and are safely isolating.”
Oceanwide Expeditions, the ship’s owner, says the four Canadians were among the roughly 130 other asymptomatic passengers on board the MV Hondius when it reached port this morning.
Several other Canadians have been told to isolate after coming into contact with infected passengers.
A couple from the Grey Bruce region of Ontario disembarked from the ship in late April before the outbreak was declared and have showed no symptoms.
Four other Canadians — from Quebec, Alberta, and Ontario — were not on the ship but may have come into contact with someone infected with hantavirus while flying, the federal government said.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus sought to reassure the public on Sunday, repeating that the risk for the general public from the outbreak is low.
Even so, those disembarking and personnel working at the port of Granadilla in Tenerife wore protective gear during the evacuation process, including face masks, hazmat suits, and respirators. Video obtained by The Associated Press showed passengers on the tarmac wearing similar suits and being sprayed down with disinfectant.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 10, 2026.
— With files from The Associated Press.
The Canadian Press
