Lisbon’s São Francisco Xavier Hospital has admitted what is believed to be the first suspected case of hantavirus linked to a wider outbreak involving a cruise ship, according to Portugal’s state broadcaster RTP.
The patient, an adult Portuguese national, was admitted on Monday 19 May after presenting flu-like symptoms following international travel. Health authorities said the individual had flown into Portugal after exposure connected to a cruise vessel where confirmed hantavirus cases had already been identified.
Portugal’s Directorate-General of Health (DGS) confirmed that established protocols were immediately activated once the patient arrived at the emergency department. The case was subsequently referred to the Curry Cabral Hospital in Lisbon, a designated infectious disease centre that has previously handled major outbreaks, including early COVID-19 cases in the country.
Officials stressed that classification and monitoring procedures for suspected hantavirus infections are strict and ongoing. Under DGS guidelines, even individuals who initially test negative are not immediately cleared. If there has been exposure within the defined risk window, repeat testing is required for up to 42 days, after which cases may be reclassified depending on results and symptom development.
Health authorities define a suspected hantavirus case as any individual who has travelled on, or been in contact with someone from, a transport setting where an infection has been confirmed or is strongly suspected. This includes passengers and crew members from affected ships, including the MV Hondius, which has been linked to recent reports of infection. Anyone presenting symptoms such as sudden fever, muscle pain, chills, headache, or respiratory and gastrointestinal distress within the incubation period is also treated as a suspected case.
DGS further noted that contact tracing extends beyond confirmed patients to anyone who may have shared close proximity with potentially infected individuals during travel. The incubation period for hantavirus can last up to 42 days, making extended monitoring a key part of containment efforts.
Several European countries, including Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom, along with the United States, are also monitoring similar cases. Public health responses broadly follow guidance issued by the World Health Organization, which recommends quarantine for high-risk contacts, PCR testing, restricted movement, and maintaining physical distancing where exposure is suspected.
Portuguese health authorities say investigations remain ongoing as they work to determine whether the Lisbon case is confirmed or will be ruled out following further testing.
