Hantavirus alarm

Healthcare

Hantavirus in Italia: all tests on suspected cases negative

The Italian health authorities confirm the absence of hantavirus infections in the monitored subjects, while in France surveillance is intensified on the contacts of the deceased passenger.

13 May 2026

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

The Ministry of Health informs that the virological investigations carried out yesterday in Milan on the British tourist traced and placed in quarantine because he was on board the St Helena-Johannesburg flight were negative.

Just as negative is the test on the companion who was travelling with him in Italia. Also negative are the tests carried out on the young man from Calabria in Villa San Giovanni, who is in fiduciary isolation, and on the tourist who was hospitalised in Messina for pneumonia and who comes from an endemic area of Argentina.

Samples of both were analysed at Spallanzani.

There are 22 contact cases of Hantavirus hospitalised in France

All 22 French people identified as 'contact cases' of the Dutch passenger of the cruise ship MV Hondius, who died of hantavirus, are 'currently in hospital', the Ministry of Health announced this morning after the transfer of the last 8 cases to the Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital in Paris. It was therefore decided to round up in Paris, where they arrived this morning, the 8 French people who had taken an initial KLM plane on 25 April departing from St Helena and bound for Johannesburg together with the sick passenger, who later died. The other 14 contact cases, who instead took the KLM Johannesburg-Amsterdam flight, are housed in facilities 'in different cities in France', the ministry specified.

Woman in Florence is at home and has no symptoms

"We took charge of the situation from the very first moment, in close connection with the Azienda Usl Toscana Centro and the public hygiene sector. The person concerned is at home, is well, has no symptoms and is in direct and constant contact with the health services. She is being monitored on a daily basis by Toscana Centro Public Hygiene, according to the indications provided by the health authorities'.

This is what the regional councillor for health, Monia Monni, says on the situation of the lady from Florence, who was placed in quarantine for the hantavirus. "In light of the new Ministry of Health circular of 11 May," Monni points out, "the active surveillance period for high-risk contacts is set at 42 days following exposure, and no longer 45 days. This is why surveillance will end on 5 June.

I want to reassure the citizens: the situation is being followed with the utmost attention, with all the precautions foreseen, and at the moment there are no elements of alarm for the general population'. Finally, the councillor's office points out that the lady was not tested for the virus because she was asymptomatic, as required by ministerial indications.