Unofficial site — data consolidated from public sources (WHO, ECDC, CDC, French health authorities, verified press). View sources.

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Hantavirus France

Consolidated tracking of the MV Hondius episode on the France side. Sources: Santé publique France, Ministry of Health, DGS, Matignon, verified press.

France key indicators

  • 1 confirmed case French woman, Bichat Hospital (Paris 18th), on ECMO
  • 22 hospitalised contacts 8 from Saint Helena → Johannesburg flight, 14 from Johannesburg → Amsterdam (12 May)
  • 5 repatriated passengers 4 tested negative, 1 positive (the Bichat patient)
  • 42 d max quarantine Decree of 11 May 2026 — Andes virus maximum incubation period

Mobilised hospitals

  • Bichat University Hospital (AP-HP, Paris 18th) — Confirmed case (ECMO) and 4 repatriated passengers tested negative. Infectious diseases service led by Prof. Xavier Lescure.
  • Pitié-Salpêtrière (AP-HP, Paris 13th) — 3 teenagers with their parents, contact cases from the Saint Helena → Johannesburg flight.
  • Rennes University Hospital (Ille-et-Vilaine) — 1 contact case transferred from Concarneau on 11 May 2026. Regional reference centre for infectious diseases.
  • Marseille University Hospital (AP-HM) — 1 contact case hospitalised per the Ministry of Health (12 May 2026).

Detailed tracking

1 French national tested positive + 30 people under surveillance (decree, Official Journal 11 May)

Confirmed case
1 French national tested positive

Announced 11 May 2026 by the government spokesperson. Hospitalised at Bichat. First Andes confirmation in France.

MV Hondius passengers
5 French nationals at Bichat Hospital (Paris 18th) — 1 positive in serious condition (ICU), 4 tested negative

Repatriated by medical flight from Tenerife on 10 May. No French crew members on board. Update by Stéphanie Rist on 12 May afternoon: 'Four of them are well and tested negative. The fifth is still in ICU and in serious condition' (Le Monde press conference, 12 May 2026, 17:07).

Return-flight contacts
22 contacts identified — 8 hospitalised, 14 being hospitalised (Stéphanie Rist, 12 May)

8 on the Saint Helena → Johannesburg flight on 25 April ('currently hospitalised') + 14 on the Johannesburg → Amsterdam flight ('being hospitalised'). 'All contact cases will be tested' with results in 24 h (Stéphanie Rist, press conference 12 May at 16:00 and 17:47, Le Monde live).

First transfer outside Île-de-France
1 Breton contact case (Concarneau, Finistère) transferred to Rennes University Hospital

Confined at home in Concarneau, transferred on 11 May 2026 to Rennes University Hospital (Ille-et-Vilaine), regional reference centre for infectious diseases. He was on the repatriation flight (Ouest-France, 11 May 2026).

Reinforced quarantine
Confirmed patient: up to 42 days max. Contact cases: 'about fifteen days' per the decrees (Stéphanie Rist, 12 May)

The decree of 11 May 2026 provides for up to 42 days for confirmed cases (Andes virus maximum incubation). For asymptomatic contact cases, the Minister of Health clarified on 12 May 2026 that hospitalisation is planned for 'about fifteen days' — an initial observation period extended to 42 days if doubt or evolution.

Legal framework
Decree by Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, published in the Official Journal of 11 May 2026

Isolation measures adapted to contact cases, protective for the general population. Crisis cell at Matignon, Monday 11 May. The escalation to hospital quarantine for the 22 contacts was confirmed by Matignon (Raphaël Grably, BFM TV, evening of 11 May 2026).

WHO assessment
All MV Hondius passengers classified as 'high-risk contacts'

Epidemiologist Antoine Flahault compares the individual severity of Andes virus to Ebola's. Risk to the general population: low (WHO).

Legal and operational framework

  • Decree of 11 May 2026 (Sébastien Lecornu, Prime Minister) — reinforced isolation measures, published in the Official Journal.
  • DGS-Urgent n°2026-04 (11 May 2026, Prof. Didier Lepelletier) — recommendations for doctors and pharmacists. Read the PDF.
  • Press conference by Stéphanie Rist (Minister of Health) and Caroline Semaille (Director General, Santé publique France) on 12 May 2026: 'no evidence of diffuse circulation of the virus' in France.
  • Crisis cell at Matignon, Monday 11 May 2026.
  • Country protocol — see the full France protocol sheet.

Sources cited on this page

  1. Le Monde — Evening live 12 May: Emmanuel Macron (Nairobi) 'situation under control'; Xavier Lescure (Bichat) confirms ECMO for the French patient and raises variant hypothesis; 26 NL passengers from 1st flight PCR negative; details of 22 French contacts (Pitié-Salpêtrière, Rennes, Marseille)
  2. Le Monde — Press conference by Stéphanie Rist and Caroline Semaille (SpF), 12 May 2026: 'no evidence of diffuse circulation', 11 confirmed worldwide, 22 contacts hospitalised
  3. DGS-Urgent n°2026-04 — Recommendations for doctors and pharmacists (Directorate General of Health, Prof. Didier Lepelletier, 11 May 2026)
  4. BFM TV / Raphaël Grably — Matignon confirms hospital quarantine for all 22 contact cases (11 May 2026, evening)
  5. Ouest-France — Breton contact case transferred to Rennes University Hospital (Samuel Nohra, 11 May 2026)
  6. BFM TV — French national tested positive (government spokesperson, 11 May 2026)
  7. Le Monde — Decree published, American passenger positive
  8. Midi Libre — 20 contact cases identified in France
  9. Le Parisien — Flahault: 'as serious as Ebola'
  10. France Info — Bichat Hospital surveillance
  11. France Diplomatie

See the full source index · Editorial methodology