A Spanish citizen placed in quarantine at a military hospital in Madrid has tested positive for hantavirus, in a case linked to the outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship.
The patient was already in isolation at the Gomez Ulla hospital when routine testing detected the infection.
The outbreak on the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius began after it departed Argentina in early April, carrying 147 passengers and crew. A passenger is believed to have contracted the virus on land before boarding the ship. Three people have died.
The patient who tested positive in Madrid was transferred to a high-level isolation unit, where they remain under strict safety protocols.
Spanish health officials said the infection occurred entirely within an existing quarantine and monitoring system and did not change the assessed risk to the general population. The patient was a close contact of a previously confirmed case, officials added.
Spain's Health Ministry said detection of a case under quarantine emphasises the effectiveness of current containment procedures and does not require additional public health action.
