Italy Quarantines 2 for 42 Days After Hantavirus Exposure on Flight Linked to 3 Deaths
Updated
Updated · The Mirror · May 13
Italy Quarantines 2 for 42 Days After Hantavirus Exposure on Flight Linked to 3 Deaths
11 articles · Updated · The Mirror · May 13
Milan authorities detained a British tourist in his 60s and his companion at a bar, then moved both to Sacco Hospital for quarantine until June 6 despite negative tests and no symptoms.
The British man had shared an Airlink flight from Saint Helena to Johannesburg with 69-year-old Mirjam Schilperoord, who later died after contracting hantavirus linked to the MV Hondius outbreak.
That outbreak has infected 11 cruise passengers and killed 3, with Argentine authorities tracing the likely source to a landfill near Ushuaia visited by Mirjam and her husband Leo before the April 1 sailing.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said there is still no sign of a wider public outbreak, but warned more cases could emerge in coming weeks because of the virus's long incubation period and close contact aboard the ship.
With a 50% fatality rate, could this cruise ship virus spark the next global health crisis?
Quarantined for 42 days despite negative tests: When does public safety go too far?
Why is there still no approved vaccine for the deadly Andes hantavirus after decades of research?
From MV Hondius to Italy: How the 2026 Hantavirus Scare Tests Global Health Systems After COVID-19
Overview
Italy responded quickly to the potential spread of hantavirus in May 2026 by implementing strict quarantine and surveillance measures for high-risk contacts, even if they showed no symptoms. This proactive approach, shaped by lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, aimed to prevent public alarm and ensure safety. Health officials emphasized that hantavirus has low contagiousness, allowing for targeted containment instead of widespread lockdowns. Robust surveillance and international cooperation helped identify and manage exposed individuals, all of whom remained asymptomatic. As a result, there were no positive cases, and the risk to the general public was assessed as low, demonstrating Italy’s effective and balanced response.