Reported hantavirus protocol breach at hospital forces 12 employees into 6-week quarantine

A Dutch hospital has quarantined a dozen staff members following reports of a protocol breach involving a patient infected with hantavirus, hospital officials said Monday.

The breach occurred last week at Radboud University Medical Center in Nijmegen, Netherlands, after the facility admitted a patient tied to a rare and deadly hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius luxury cruise ship.

The hospital said the patient’s blood and urine were not processed and disposed of using the strictest international protocols required for handling the specific 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.

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According to the hospital, when the patient was admitted on May 7, their blood was processed according to standard procedures but should have been handled under stricter protocols required for the nature of the virus.

Staff also realized on Saturday that the most up-to-date international regulations for disposing of a hantavirus patient’s urine had not been followed. Instead, they had adhered to what was considered standard procedure.

Dutch Health Minister Sophie Hermans addressed the incident in Parliament on Tuesday, reassuring officials that the protocols that were followed were still considered strict.

"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 said they regretted what happened in a statement Monday, adding that they remain committed to providing care for any new hantavirus patients who may arrive.

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"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 marks a backtracking from earlier hospital statements during the patient’s admission that "appropriate isolation measures have been taken to prevent the spread of the virus, in accordance with internationally agreed protocols."

As of May 13, there have been 11 hantavirus cases — up from eight reported on May 8 — and three deaths, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.

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The agency reported that two of the most recent cases have been confirmed and are from Spain and France. The French patient became symptomatic during repatriation, while the Spanish patient tested positive following repatriation and remains asymptomatic.

A third case returned inconclusive results, with the patient initially testing positive and later negative.

In total, eight cases are confirmed, two are probable and one is inconclusive. The three deaths also include two confirmed cases and one probable case.

Health officials say the virus can be deadly but poses a low risk to the public. Contact tracing for all individuals linked to the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship remains ongoing.

In the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Wednesday added that it has deployed a team to the Canary Islands, where passengers disembarked, to provide onsite healthcare, including speaking with each American passenger at risk of potential exposure.

The CDC said it will not release exactly how many passengers are currently being monitored.

The outbreak began when a Dutch cruise ship carrying 147 passengers and crew departed Argentina on April 1 for a South Atlantic voyage. It is believed the initial infection was contracted by a passenger who may have been exposed to rodents during regional birdwatching activities prior to boarding, according to the WHO.

Following multiple infection reports, the ship docked in Spain’s Canary Islands on May 10, where the remaining passengers and most of the crew were evacuated under quarantine protocols.

Passengers have been repatriated to their home countries for a recommended 42-day isolation period.

The ship, along with a skeleton crew of 25 and two medical professionals, then sailed to Rotterdam, Netherlands, The Associated Press reported.