The Minister of Health, Mónica García, has confirmed that the South African citizen who traveled on the same plane as one of those who died from hantavirus related to the cruise ship MV Hondius and who had stayed for a week in Barcelona before returning to her country, is currently in South Africa, remains asymptomatic and, according to the epidemiological investigation carried out, would not have maintained close contact during her stay in the Catalan capital.
"The woman, of South African nationality, is currently asymptomatic in South Africa after having spent a week in Barcelona before returning to her country," the minister concludes in a message on the social network X.
The Generalitat keeps the surveillance protocol activated
The Department of Health of the Generalitat had launched this afternoon the protocols provided for these types of situations after detecting that the woman coincided on the flight from Johannesburg with several people related to the investigated outbreak.
Among them was the Alicante passenger with symptoms and currently under health observation in Spain and also a Dutch citizen linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius who later died in Johannesburg from a hantavirus infection, specifically the variant known as the Andes virus.
Despite this, from the first moment health authorities insisted that the possibility of contagion was "extraordinarily remote".
No close contacts during your stay in Barcelona
According to the epidemiological investigation, the woman stayed alone in a hotel during her entire stay in Barcelona and did not have interactions considered at risk by health services.
Furthermore, he did not require medical assistance or go to Catalan health centers before leaving Spain.
Spanish health authorities maintain coordination with international organizations while the epidemiological investigation into cases related to the MV Hondius continues.