KLM Flight Attendant Hospitalised Amid Fears Of Andes Hantavirus Exposure

A flight attendant working for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has been hospitalised in the Netherlands with suspected hantavirus infection after reportedly coming into contact with a passenger who later died from the rare Andes strain of the virus.

The passenger, a 69-year-old woman, had been travelling aboard the MV Hondius, which departed from Ushuaia on April 1. During the voyage, her husband fell critically ill and later died on the ship.

After the cruise vessel stopped at Saint Helena on April 24, the woman accompanied her husband’s body ashore before flying to Johannesburg. She later boarded KLM flight KL592 bound for Amsterdam, but airline staff reportedly became concerned about her worsening condition and refused to allow her to travel.

The woman was hospitalised in Johannesburg and died the following day. Subsequent PCR tests confirmed she had contracted the Andes strain of hantavirus, the only known variant linked to limited human-to-human transmission.

Dutch broadcaster RTL reported that a KLM flight attendant who interacted with the woman has since developed mild symptoms and is being treated in isolation at Amsterdam UMC medical centre.

Dutch and South African health authorities have launched extensive contact tracing operations involving passengers and crew members linked to multiple flights connected to the outbreak. Three people linked to the cruise outbreak have died so far, while several others remain under medical care.