The person identified in Catalonia as risk contact of the hantavirus case will finally be isolated at the Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, where they will remain in quarantine under medical supervision despite not presenting symptoms.
It is about a Catalan woman who traveled on the same plane as the Dutch citizen —passenger of the cruise ship MV Hondius— who passed away after contracting the virus. Her transfer to the hospital occurs as a preventive measure after being identified as a close contact.
Quarantine at the Clínic with specialized surveillance
Upon her arrival at the center, the woman will undergo a specific health protocol. She will remain isolated in an individual room and under the supervision of medical and nursing staff highly specialized in infectious diseases.
The hospital's care director, Toni Castells, has insisted that the woman is not a patient, but a contact, and has sent a message of calm to the public.
PCR tests and follow-up for weeks
Upon entering, you will undergo PCR tests in blood and saliva to detect a possible infection. The samples will be analyzed in Madrid and the result will be known within 24 hours.
In case of a negative result, the tests will be repeated days later, as the incubation period for hantavirus can extend between three and six weeks.
During all that time, the woman will continue under observation to detect any changes in her health status.
A contact detected after the flight tracking
The identification of this case occurred after a review of the flight on which both passengers coincided. Although initially she was not considered a close contact, a subsequent investigation allowed her exposure to be confirmed, which activated the health protocol.
Health insists there is no general risk
The authorities emphasize that the woman is completely asymptomatic and that the measure responds to criteria of prevention and control, not to a confirmed contagion.
Furthermore, they recall that no further contacts will be traced unless the tests turn out positive, following the usual protocols in this type of situation.
The case maintains active health surveillance, but from the Hospital Clínic they insist that the situation is controlled and without cause for public alarm.