CALGARY — The cruise ship that has been struck by an outbreak of the hantavirus has been refused permission to dock at the Canary Islands, leaving the future destination of the vessel in increasing doubt.The MV Hondius, which has been stuck in a sort of limbo since May 4, has also reported more confirmed cases of the virus, including one person who had already gone home.Authorities in Switzerland have confirmed that a man who had left the cruise last week tested positive for the hantavirus after the cruise operator emailed recent passengers telling them to get tested.At a hospital in Zurich the man tested positive despite having been home and, presumably, taking no precautions before his diagnosis. The man's wife is reported to be self-isolating.The virus, which can lie dormant for up to eight weeks, is now not just contained on the cruise ship but may have spread on the European continent, although no other cases separate from the cruise have been reported..Swiss health authorities have said that "there is currently no risk to the Swiss public.”The virus has now killed three and infected five others, according to the World Health Organization.The WHO has also previously confirmed that the virus has shown evidence of spreading from human to human, not from rodent to human like most cases of the virus.Investigators have said that their current origin theory for the current spread is a couple who contracted the hantavirus while on a bird-watching trip in Argentina, an excursion offered on the cruise. The current destination of the ship remains up in the air; the Spanish government says it remains committed to aiding those on the ship, but it is still unclear where the vessel will be allowed to dock.
