Brits among 23 hantavirus cruise passengers ‘wandering around’ globally | World | News

Britons are among 23 Hantavirus passengers ‘on the loose’ after being exposed to a deadly ‘rat disease’ following the cruise line’s decision to allow some passengers to disembark.

At least 23 passengers have already left the boat and returned home, with reports stating that one has already fallen ill.

There are also two British people among those who returned.

The UK Health Safety Agency (UKHSA) confirmed that two people on board returned to the UK and are self-isolating after showing no symptoms.

“There are 23 people walking around there, no one had contacted them until three days ago,” one passenger said.

The passenger told Spanish newspaper El Pais: “The Australian went to Australia, Taiwan to Taiwan, the Americans to every corner of North America. The Englishman to England, the Dutchman to their homes… I don’t remember the rest.”

A Swiss passenger who returned home with his wife tested positive for hantavirus on Wednesday, officials said.

He was first admitted to a hospital in Zurich and tested negative for the virus, which can remain dormant for up to eight weeks.

One passenger claimed that although the first passenger fell ill on April 6, WHO did not contact those who left the boat until three days earlier.

WHO said on Wednesday that Oceanwide Expeditions emailed former passengers about the outbreak, but did not specify when that communication was sent.

“International contact tracing continues.

“Passengers disembarking were notified of the hantavirus case by ship operators and asked to report any signs and symptoms,” a WHO spokesperson said. he said.

UKHSA confirmed it was supporting “a small number of individuals identified as having been in close contact” with people on board.

The organization said: “They are being given support and are also self-isolating. None of them are reporting any symptoms.

“The risk to the public remains very low.”