French evacuee from hantavirus-hit ship shows ‘symptoms’, PM says

All five passengers flown back to France have been placed in strict isolation until further notice

One of five French people flown back to France on Sunday from the cruise ship struck by a deadly hantavirus outbreak is showing symptoms of the illness, French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said.

“On of them showed symptoms in the repatriation plane,” he posted on social media. “These five passengers have immediately been placed in strict isolation until further notice.

“They are getting medical treatment and will have tests and a medical check-up,” he added.

Lecornu also said he would issue a decree later on Sunday authorising appropriate isolation measures being put in place to protect the public.

From early Sunday, passengers from the MV Hondius have been evacuated from the ship, anchored off the Spanish island of Tenerife. From there, they have been flown out to hospitals in their home countries or in the Netherlands for medical checks.

A jet carrying the five evacuated French cruise ship passengers landed a little before 4.30pm on Sunday at Le Bourget airport, north of Paris.