A flight attendant has been admitted to hospital in Amsterdam following potential exposure to the hantavirus.
The KLM cabin crew member is currently undergoing testing for the infection while remaining in isolation at the Dutch hospital, according to the country's Ministry of Public Health. Her symptoms are described as mild.
The hospitalisation follows direct contact with a 69-year-old Dutch woman who succumbed to the virus at a Johannesburg hospital on 26 April.
The deceased passenger had briefly boarded a KLM aircraft at O.R. Tambo International Airport before airline staff requested she leave due to illness.
A 69-year-old Dutch woman who succumbed to the virus was briefly onboard the KLM aircraft
|GETTY
Following the woman's removal from the aircraft, the flight proceeded from Johannesburg to Amsterdam, departing at 11:15 p.m. on 25 April.
The now-hospitalised flight attendant was working aboard that particular service.
Dutch health authorities at the GGD have commenced efforts to reach all passengers who travelled on the flight.
Those contacted are being advised to monitor themselves for any symptoms that may develop.
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However, the health service has yet to provide specific guidance on what steps passengers should take should they begin experiencing signs of illness.
The RIVM has indicated that symptoms can emerge anywhere between several days and 60 days following infection, with the typical onset occurring within two to four weeks.
The outbreak traces its origins to the Dutch cruise vessel Hondius, where the World Health Organisation has now confirmed seven cases of the virus.
Three passengers have lost their lives, including the Dutch woman and her husband, who died aboard the ship on 11 April from what appeared to be a respiratory illness.
Alarm bells were raised last week after a British passenger receiving intensive care in Johannesburg returned a positive test result.
Both confirmed cases have been identified as the Andes variant, a particularly concerning strain capable of spreading between humans.
Most hantavirus strains typically transmit through contact with rodent droppings and urine rather than person-to-person contact.
Most hantavirus strains typically transmit through contact with rodent droppings
|GETTY
Health authorities are continuing evacuation operations to remove remaining passengers from the vessel.
Three individuals were transported from the ship on Wednesday, with two arriving at Schiphol Airport at approximately 8:00 p.m. that evening and a third touching down on Thursday morning.
Among those evacuated, a 56-year-old British crew member, Martin Anstee, was taken to Leiden University Medical Center. He told Sky News that he was feeling okay, but was still being tested for the virus.
A 65-year-old German woman was transferred to Düsseldorf in stable condition, whilst a Swiss patient was admitted to a Zurich facility.
Approximately 150 individuals remain aboard the Hondius, which is sailing towards Tenerife with an expected Saturday arrival.
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