KLM flight attendant tests negative for hantavirus: WHO

A potential hantavirus scare involving a KLM flight attendant has been allayed, according to the World Health Organization. The attendant, who had mild symptoms and was hospitalized in Amsterdam, has tested negative for the virus. This news comes after she was reportedly in contact with a passenger who had been on the MV Hondius cruise ship and later died of hantavirus in South Africa.

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received notification through our IHR (International Health Regulations) focal point that she tested negative

KLM confirmed that the passenger, who was the wife of the first person to die from the outbreak on the cruise ship, was removed from a flight bound for the Netherlands on April 25 before takeoff due to her medical condition. She subsequently died in a Johannesburg hospital and tested positive for hantavirus. Three people have died in total from the outbreak on the cruise ship.

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Due to the passenger’s medical condition at the time, the crew decided not to allow the passenger to travel on the flight

While the immediate concern for the flight attendant has passed, Dutch health authorities are taking a precautionary approach by contacting individuals who were on the flight. This incident highlights the global nature of health risks and the importance of swift communication between airlines, health organizations, and national authorities to manage potential outbreaks.

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After the passenger was removed from the aircraft, the flight departed for the Netherlands