Hantavirus testing might not be useful for people without symptoms: experts

She says there are two types of blood tests for hantaviruses — one that checks for antibodies and a PCR test that detects pieces of the virus itself.

University of Saskatchewan hantavirus scientist Bryce Warner says health officials are in a “unique” situation because doctors wouldn’t normally have any reason to suspect the rare virus until a patient is showing signs of illness.

Warner, who works at the university’s Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, says a negative test in someone without symptoms wouldn’t necessarily mean they don’t have hantavirus.

“Because the incubation period can be several weeks, if you did a test in the first week and it was negative by PCR you can’t just say ‘OK I’m negative.’ It could take another week or two or three really for that to come up as positive,” he said.

The number of positive cases internationally has grown since the evacuation of the MV Hondius ship Sunday on an island in Spain’s Canary Islands. On Monday, American and French officials confirmed two more people had Andes virus — the type of hantavirus that hit the ship and the only kind known to spread person-to-person.

That brings the total number of deaths to three and cases to seven, the World Health Organization said Monday.

Public health officials and infectious disease physicians have stressed that Andes virus spread between people requires close and prolonged contact and that it is not a pandemic threat.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 12, 2026.

— With files from Hannah Alberga

Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.

Nicole Ireland, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

Hantavirus testing might not be useful for people without symptoms: experts

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