The Spanish government announced a confirmed case of hantavirus tied to the cruise ship MV Hondius, which was the center of a deadly outbreak earlier in the month. A Spanish citizen, previously in preventive quarantine at a Madrid hospital, tested positive for the virus, according to the Health Ministry.

The individual was in ‘close contact’ with someone linked to the initial outbreak. The person has been monitored and isolated at Gómez Ulla Hospital. Their positive status emerged during routine tests of those connected to the outbreak. As a result, they were moved to the high-level isolation unit for specialized care.

Though hantavirus is common in some parts of South America, human cases are rare. No previous cases have been reported on a cruise ship. Health officials have urged calm, reassuring the public that there is no heightened risk of a wider outbreak.

The latest case does not alter the risk assessment for the general population, as stated by the Health Ministry. The current response measures remain effective, with the patient already within the activated isolation system.

The incubation period for hantavirus can reach six weeks. Since May 2, when the outbreak was first communicated to the World Health Organization, there have been no additional fatalities.

Last week, twenty crew members and two medical staff left the cruise ship in the Netherlands, as reported by Oceanwide Expeditions. MV Hondius concluded its extensive seven-week voyage, having faced up to 11 infections and three deaths. Most passengers, including 18 from the U.S., are quarantined in their respective home countries.