Dutch Hospital Quarantines 12 Staff After Hantavirus Protocol Breach

A Dutch hospital quarantined a dozen staff members after a protocol breach with a patient infected with hantavirus, officials said Monday.

The incident took place last week at Radboud University Medical Center in Nijmegen, Netherlands. The facility had admitted a patient connected to a rare and deadly hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius luxury cruise ship.

Hospital officials said the patient's blood and urine were not processed and disposed of according to the strictest international protocols required for this hantavirus strain.

"Because of these circumstances, 12 employees will go in preventive quarantine for six weeks as a precaution, despite the fact that the chance of infection is small," the hospital said.

When the patient arrived on May 7, staff processed blood under standard procedures instead of the stricter ones needed for the virus, the hospital said. On Saturday, they also found that urine disposal did not follow the latest international regulations and instead used standard procedures.

Dutch Health Minister Sophie Hermans addressed the matter in Parliament on Tuesday. She told lawmakers that strict procedures were followed at Radboud Hospital in Nijmegen, but not the strictest ones for this hantavirus.

"At Radboud Hospital in Nijmegen, strict procedures have been followed, but not the strictest procedures applicable in the case of this hantavirus," she said.

Hospital executives expressed regret in a Monday statement. They said they remain ready to treat any new hantavirus patients.

"Despite the fact that the chance of actual infection is very small, these measures have a major impact on all those involved. We regret that this happened in our university medical center. We will carefully investigate the course of events to learn from this so that it can be prevented in the future," Bertine Lahuis, chair of the hospital's executive board, said.

"Of course, we will ensure that the colleagues involved receive all the support they need. We have great appreciation for their commitment, and that of their colleagues, to ensure that care for the patient runs smoothly. In the meantime, our university medical center stands ready to admit any new patients should this be necessary."

The announcement differs from earlier hospital statements during the patient's admission. Those said appropriate isolation measures had been taken to prevent virus spread, in line with international protocols.

As of May 13, the World Health Organization reported 11 hantavirus cases, up from eight on May 8, with three deaths. Eight cases are confirmed, two probable and one inconclusive. The deaths include two confirmed cases and one probable.

Two recent cases came from Spain and France. The French patient showed symptoms during repatriation, while the Spanish patient tested positive after repatriation and has no symptoms. A third case tested positive then negative.

Health officials call the virus deadly but low risk to the public. Contact tracing continues for those linked to the cruise ship.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention deployed a team to the Canary Islands on Wednesday. The team provides onsite care, including talks with American passengers at potential exposure risk. The CDC did not say how many passengers are under monitoring.

The outbreak started on the Dutch cruise ship with 147 passengers and crew. It left Argentina on April 1 for a South Atlantic trip. The World Health Organization said the first infection likely came from a passenger exposed to rodents during birdwatching before boarding.

After infection reports, the ship docked in Spain's Canary Islands on May 10. Remaining passengers and most crew evacuated under quarantine. Passengers repatriated to home countries for a recommended 42-day isolation.