PRAIA, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Laboratory tests confirmed recent infection with Andes virus, a type of hantavirus, in two of the three patients evacuated from the MV Hondius cruise ship, Cabo Verde's Ministry of Health said on Friday.
In an update over the ship, which remained off the Port of Praia from May 3 to 6, the ministry said that biological samples had been collected as part of clinical procedures and epidemiological surveillance and sent to the Institut Pasteur de Dakar for laboratory analysis.
The two positive cases were among the patients who had shown symptoms before being evacuated from the ship via specialized air ambulances, according to the ministry.
Genomic sequencing is underway for a full characterization of the identified viral strain, the ministry added.
Following the laboratory confirmation, Cabo Verde's National IHR Focal Point officially notified its counterparts in the countries concerned, in line with international obligations on disease notification and health cooperation, it said.
The ministry said the test results confirmed the relevance and prudence of the measures adopted by national health authorities from the outset of the incident, with priority given to protecting public health, personnel involved and the population on shore.
In this context, the vessel had not been authorized to dock and passengers had not been allowed to disembark, it added.
In accordance with applicable international protocols, health professionals who provided assistance on board are observing a quarantine period, while all means of transport and materials used during the evacuation of the three patients have been disinfected, according to the health ministry.
Cabo Verde was notified on the morning of May 2 of a respiratory disease outbreak aboard the MV Hondius. The authorities said all necessary assistance had been provided to those on board, especially the three patients later evacuated to the Netherlands who are currently in stable clinical condition.
