According to information released by Portuguese state television, São Francisco Xavier Hospital in Lisbon received on Monday, 19 May, the first suspected case of hantavirus.
On Monday, the emergency department at São Francisco Xavier Hospital in Lisbon admitted a first suspected case of hantavirus, according to public broadcaster RTP.
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According to the Directorate-General of Health (DGS), in a response to the Portuguese state television channel, the patient is an adult Portuguese national with flu-like symptoms who travelled by plane "in the context of the hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship with confirmed cases".
The DGS stated that all procedures were followed, the first of which was to refer the patient to the designated Curry Cabral reference hospital, which also acted as the reference hospital for COVID-19 and was the facility that admitted the first infected patient in Lisbon.
Under the DGS guideline on the management of suspected hantavirus cases, even a non-case – that is, a suspected or probable case that has tested negative – "within the maximum incubation period (42 days) after the last exposure to a probable or confirmed case, must be tested again and reclassified accordingly".
How are suspected cases classified?
The DGS guidance defines a "suspected case" as anyone who has shared or visited a means of transport, such as a plane or ship, where there has been a confirmed or probable case of hantavirus infection.
Also considered suspected is "any person who has been in contact with a passenger or crew member from the MV Hondius since 5 April 2026 and up to the end of the incubation period (42 days)" and who presents symptoms such as acute fever, muscle pain, chills, headache, or gastrointestinal or respiratory symptoms.
Countries such as Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States (source in Portuguese) are dealing with hantavirus cases and are responding in very similar ways, using World Health Organization (WHO) guidance (source in Portuguese).
The recommendations include a six-week quarantine for high-risk contacts, PCR testing, strict monitoring, restrictions on movement and maintaining a safety distance of between one and a half and two metres.
