France says cruise ship Andes virus matches known South American viruses
France's Pasteur Institute has sequenced the Andes virus from a French passenger on the MV Hondius cruise ship and found it matches known South American strains. The virus shows no new traits that would make it more transmissible or dangerous, with genomic analysis revealing about 97% similarity to existing Andes virus samples. Eleven cases have been linked to the outbreak, including three deaths, and data from the sequencing will be shared internationally.
- ▪The Andes virus detected in a French passenger matches known viruses in South America.
- ▪Genomic analysis shows the virus is about 97% similar to Andes viruses circulating in South America, including those in rodents.
- ▪The viruses found in patients from the MV Hondius are identical to each other and show no signs of increased transmissibility or severity.
- ▪Three people died in connection with the outbreak, including a Dutch couple believed to have been first exposed in South America.
- ▪The French passenger infected with the virus was treated in Paris and was initially in serious condition.
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A bus carrying medical officials and members of the flight crew of the plane that transported the passengers caught up in the MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak, arrives at a purpose-built quarantine facility located on the outskirts of the Western Australian city of Perth, May 15. AFP-YonhapPARIS — 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 that 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.“The analyzed virus corresponds to the viruses already known and monitored in South America,” Health Minister Stéphanie Rist said Friday on X.
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