3 Canadians isolating in Ontario, Quebec after hantavirus ship outbreak

tierce people with connections to a lifelessly hantavirus-stricken sail ar isolating at place in Ontario and Quebec, the federal government said Thursday as consular officials headed to the Canary Islands to meet four Canadians who remain on board.

Two Canadian passengers disembarked on the remote South Atlantic island of St. Helena almost two weeks ago, according to Dutch-based Oceanwide Expeditions. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said they were on the same returning flight as a third Canadian who was not on the vessel.

Quebec's health minister said that third Canadian, from Quebec, is isolating because they possibly came into contact during an international trip with a person infected with hantavirus.

However, a statement from the minister says they "were not in close proximity, and the risk of transmission is therefore extremely low."

In a statement posted online, Anand said all three Canadians are asymptomatic and have been self-isolating.

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The World Health Organization said Thursday it has received reports of eight cases, including three deaths, in connection to the MV Hondius outbreak of the rodent-borne Andes virus, the only hantavirus known to be capable of limited transmission between humans.

"Given the incubation period of the Andes virus, which can be up to six weeks, it's possible that more cases may be reported," WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

Anand and Health Minister Marjorie Michel would not take questions from reporters but said a team is working across departments and that public-health protocols will be followed.

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Oceanwide Expeditions said the two Canadians who disembarked on April 24 were among 30 passengers from 12 countries who got off the boat that day, including the body of a Dutch man who died on April 11, and his symptomatic wife, who died the next day.

The operator said a third death took place May 2 after a woman on the ship developed symptoms April 28.

Quebec Health Minister Sonia Bélanger said the province was on alert for possible exposures to the virus, though risk to the population is "extremely low."

Earlier on Thursday, Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones said two Ontario residents have been isolating since they returned home and it is believed that they are not a transmission risk.

"But it is fluid and we'll continue to have those monitoring situations," Jones said at a news conference.

Jones said public health officials are monitoring the passengers on a daily basis to make sure that the they are isolating.

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"There are a number of individuals in prior outbreaks that never acquired it despite being exposed. And so, you know, a good sign that these individuals are getting good care, but also likely a very low threat locally for ongoing transmission," he said.

WHO's director-general said in previous Andes virus outbreaks, the transmission between people was associated with close and prolonged contact, particularly among household members, intimate partners, and people providing medical care.

"That appears to be the case in the current situation," he said. "While this is a serious incident, WHO assesses the public health risk as low."

Jones said the province is preparing to see if there are any other individuals who need to return to Canada and Ontario, and that they are working with federal partners to make sure there is a consistent approach.

She says the incubation and monitoring period will likely be around 30 days.

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