A cabin crew member working for Dutch airline KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has been admitted to hospital in Amsterdam and placed under medical observation following suspected exposure to hantavirus linked to a deceased passenger.

The flight attendant was taken to Amsterdam University Medical Center (Amsterdam UMC) for precautionary monitoring after being identified as a contact of a 69-year-old Dutch passenger who had been refused boarding in Johannesburg due to health concerns.

The passenger was later hospitalized and died shortly after admission. Health authorities noted that the individual was part of a travel group that had been under epidemiological monitoring due to earlier suspected hantavirus-related cases linked to an international cruise ship voyage.

Officials stated that the cabin crew member is currently under isolation as a precautionary measure, while laboratory tests are ongoing to determine whether any infection has occurred. The individual reportedly shows only mild symptoms at this stage.

Health authorities emphasized that investigations are continuing, including contact tracing and risk assessment, to determine whether any further exposure may have taken place during travel operations.

The case is being treated as part of a broader public health monitoring process related to suspected hantavirus clusters, with medical experts awaiting final test results before drawing conclusions.(ILKHA)