Federal officials now say a third person who was not on the hantavirus-stricken ship but was on the same flight home as two Canadians who left the vessel is isolating.
Anita Anand, the foreign affairs minister, says a Canadian who “may have come into contact with a symptomatic individual” is among those being monitored by local authorities.
Two individuals are located in Ontario, and one is in Quebec.
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Anand says Ottawa is sending consular officials to support Canadians on the cruise ship where the hantavirus outbreak has led to three deaths.
Ship operator Oceanwide Expeditions says the individuals left the boat on the remote South Atlantic island of St. Helena on April 24. The body of a Dutch man who died on April 11 was taken off the ship that same day.
The Dutch-based company did not previously disclose that dozens of people had departed the ship, which confirmed its first case of the rodent-borne illness on May 2.
The World Health Organization says eight hantavirus cases have been reported, including three deaths. Five of the eight cases are confirmed as hantavirus, and the other three are suspected cases.
The WHO says the species of hantavirus in this outbreak is the Andes virus found in South America, which is carried by rodents and is the only species known to be capable of limited transmission between humans.
Canadian officials said in a statement Wednesday night that the Public Health Agency of Canada is connecting with the Canadians on board to give guidance on isolation and public health measures. Earlier this week, the cruise company said four Canadians were on the vessel.
WHO says it deems the overall public health risk as low.
