One of the passengers on board the cruise ship struck by an outbreak of hantavirus has been placed on an artificial lung and is critically ill.
The woman was a passenger from France and has a severe form of the illness, which caused life-threatening lung and heart problems, The Associated Press reported.
The device pumps blood through an artificial lung, infusing it with oxygen, then returns it to the body, in hopes of easing pressure on her heart and lungs and helping them recover.
Dr. Xavier Lescure, an infectious disease specialist at Bichat Hospital, said it was “the final stage of supportive care,” according to the AP.
As for those from the U.S., there were 18 passengers who have returned to America and are being monitored. Of the 18, 16 are being held in Nebraska. One person has tested positive there, but all are asymptomatic. Two others are in Atlanta with one person showing symptoms, CNN reported.
In all, there are 11 reported cases of hantavirus, and nine have been confirmed worldwide, connected to the cruise, the AP reported.
Three people have died, including a Dutch couple, who are believed to be the first people exposed to the virus. The husband died on April 11, the wife on April 26, according to the AP’s timeline. A German woman died on May 2 after testing positive for the virus.
The World Health Organization said that cases are only reported among passengers and crew of MV Hondius.
“At the moment, there is no sign that we are seeing the start of a larger outbreak,” WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. “But of course the situation could change, and given the long incubation period of the virus, it’s possible we might see more cases in the coming weeks.”
The ship, the MV Hondius, has been evacuated of all passengers and most crew members and is on the way back to the Netherlands. It will be cleaned and disinfected before it sets sail again.
The company that operates it, Oceanwide Expeditions, said on Monday that it did not “foresee changes to our operations,” the AP reported. The next cruise is scheduled to sail on May 29. But on Wednesday, company officials said they will know more about the sailing schedule by the end of the week.
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