TORONTO — Ontario’s chief medical officer of health says two Ontario residents who were on a cruise ship with passengers infected with hantavirus are in good spirits and showing no symptoms, while isolating in their rural community.
Dr. Kieran Moore says the couple in the Grey Bruce Public Health Unit’s area are being monitored for 45 days, the longest potential incubation period for the deadly virus.
Moore says the couple disembarked the cruise ship on the remote South Atlantic island of St. Helena in late April then flew to Johannesburg, South Africa and an infected person was on that flight, so the couple was exposed in two settings.
He says there is very little to no risk to the general public in Ontario and the couple remains asymptomatic.
Four other Canadians are still on board the cruise ship that has seen reports of eight cases, including three deaths from the outbreak of the rodent-borne Andes virus, the only hantavirus known to be capable of limited transmission between humans.
None of the Canadians who remain on the boat are from Ontario, Moore says.
The top doctor says there was a national teleconference for public health leaders yesterday to co-ordinate efforts between federal, provincial and territories partners.
Despite the low risk of the virus spreading widely, he acknowledges that hearing words like “contact tracing” for the first time since the pandemic can be anxiety-provoking.
“I hope it doesn’t trigger too many individuals, but I do want to assure Ontarians we have a plan. We’re becoming experts in this type of activity on contact tracing, on monitoring, on testing, and ensuring Ontarians get the right care at the right time,” Moore says.
Consular officials are on their way to the Canary Islands to meet the MV Hondius, which is carrying more than 140 asymptomatic passengers and crew, when it docks this weekend in Granadilla, Tenerife.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 8, 2026.
Allison Jones and Hannah Alberga, The Canadian Press
