Spanish health authorities confirmed a new case of hantavirus on Monday connected to the outbreak aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius, which left three people dead earlier this month.

According to Spain’s Health Ministry, the patient is a Spanish national who had already been placed under preventive quarantine at a hospital in Madrid after being identified as a close contact of someone linked to the original outbreak.

Officials said the infection was detected during routine monitoring and testing of people associated with the cluster.

Patient moved to specialized isolation unit

The infected individual had been under clinical observation and isolation at Gómez Ulla Hospital in Madrid before testing positive for the virus.

Following confirmation of the infection, the patient was transferred to the hospital’s high-level isolation unit for specialized medical supervision.

Spanish authorities emphasized that the case does not increase the current public health risk because the patient was already inside the country’s isolation system when the infection was identified.

The Health Ministry said surveillance and containment measures remain unchanged.

Cruise ship outbreak raised global concern

The outbreak aboard the MV Hondius drew international attention after multiple passengers and crew members became infected during the vessel’s seven-week journey.

The expedition cruise ship completed an 8,500-mile voyage earlier this month in the Netherlands after reporting up to 11 infections and three deaths linked to hantavirus.

The disease is extremely rare in humans and had never previously been recorded aboard a cruise ship.

Most passengers are now quarantined in their home countries, including 18 Americans.

Twenty crew members and two medical workers disembarked from the ship in the Netherlands last week, according to Oceanwide Expeditions.

What is hantavirus?

Hantavirus is a rare but potentially deadly disease typically spread through contact with infected rodents or their droppings.

The virus is endemic in parts of South America, although human cases remain uncommon worldwide.

Symptoms can initially resemble the flu before progressing into severe respiratory complications in some patients.

Health officials say the incubation period can last up to six weeks, which is why exposed individuals continue to be monitored closely.

Global health agencies, including the World Health Organization, have attempted to calm fears of a broader international outbreak.

Authorities noted that no additional deaths have been reported since May 2, when the outbreak was first officially reported to the WHO.

Author: Staff Writer | Edited for WTFwire.com | SOURCE: NBC News