Passengers to Leave Hospital After Hantavirus Isolation
Twenty-two individuals evacuated from a cruise ship following a hantavirus outbreak are preparing to leave a Merseyside hospital where they have been isolating since their return to the UK.
The group, comprising passengers and crew from the MV Hondius, will have completed 72 hours of isolation at Arrowe Park Hospital in Wirral. They are expected to continue isolating at home for an additional 42 days.
This group includes 20 British nationals, one German national residing in the UK, and one Japanese passenger.
Additional Passengers Being Brought to UK for Precautionary Measures
In addition, ten other passengers and crew members are being transported to the UK from British territories in the South Atlantic, specifically Saint Helena and Ascension Islands, as a precautionary step.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) stated that these individuals are being moved because the NHS in England is "well equipped to respond if they become unwell."
Health Status and Care During Isolation
Earlier this week, Professor Robin May, Chief Scientific Officer at UKHSA, reported that those at the hospital remain "healthy and asymptomatic."
The isolated individuals have been accommodated in flats, with food and essential supplies provided, alongside continuous care from UKHSA and NHS teams.
Public health and infectious disease specialists will evaluate whether these individuals can safely self-isolate at home or if alternative accommodations are necessary.
"We want to reassure both passengers and the wider public that robust arrangements are in place, and that everyone involved will be looked after every step of the way," May said.
Fatalities and Ongoing Monitoring
Since the outbreak, three fatalities have occurred, with two confirmed to have had hantavirus. These include an elderly Dutch man who died before testing, his wife, and a German woman.
On Tuesday, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that while "there is no sign that we are seeing the start of a larger outbreak," efforts to contain the virus continue as "it's possible we might see more cases."
Details of the Cruise and Passenger Movements
The Dutch vessel MV Hondius had 87 passengers and 60 crew members aboard when it docked in Spain's Canary Islands last week, according to Oceanwide Expeditions, the ship's operator.
Two British nationals have returned home via repatriation flights to the United States, and another British national is scheduled to return to Australia, the UKHSA confirmed.
Additionally, two British nationals confirmed to have hantavirus are currently receiving treatment in the Netherlands and South Africa.
Meanwhile, a British man suspected of having hantavirus on the remote Atlantic island of Tristan da Cunha remains in stable condition and is in isolation.
Two more British nationals continue to self-isolate voluntarily at home in the UK after disembarking the vessel at St Helena on 24 April, prior to the confirmation of the first hantavirus case.
Voyage and Repatriation Status
The MV Hondius began its journey on 1 April in Ushuaia, Argentina, with approximately 150 passengers and crew from 28 countries initially onboard.
Oceanwide Expeditions announced on Monday that all guests who remained on board when the outbreak was confirmed have now been repatriated to their home countries.
The ship is en route to the Netherlands with 25 crew members and two medical professionals onboard, along with the body of a German passenger who passed away.
