No Canadians had known direct contact with hantavirus patients on ship, B.C.’s top doctor says

Dr. Bonnie Henry provides an update on the return of Canadian passengers from the MV Hondius following a deadly hantavirus outbreak on the vessel.

British Columbia’s provincial health officer says none of the Canadians who were on a ship struck by an outbreak of deadly hantavirus had known direct contact with anyone who was infected.

But Dr. Bonnie Henry says it’s impossible to be completely sure, and four people from the ship who were flown to Victoria Sunday evening are now isolating on Vancouver Island for a minimum of 21 days.

She says the four people are a couple in their 70s from the Yukon, a person in their 70s from Vancouver Island, and a B.C. person in their 50s who lives abroad, and all are well and have no symptoms.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

This report by Hannah Alberga and Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press, was first published on May 11, 2026.