Hantavirus cruise ship Britons face eight-week isolation | UK | News
A pair of British nationals have been told to isolate at home for up to eight weeks following possible exposure to hantavirus on the MV Hondius, health authorities have announced.
Both were on board but got off during the ship’s stop in St Helena from 22 to 24 April and then sailed home via Johannesburg. Both are asymptomatic and both emerged after news of the outbreak broke.
Prof Robin May, UKHSA’s chief scientific officer, said: “We will ask anyone who is subject to self-isolation, but we will work very closely to support them in this with regular testing and all the support you would expect from us.
“Right now, as you can imagine, we’re working on the most cautious scenario, which is potential eight weeks of isolation. We’ll be monitoring these people very closely in the coming days and weeks and we can adjust that.”
He added: “This is of course for their own protection and the protection of everyone around them.”
According to the BBC, efforts are continuing to identify other passengers traveling in close proximity to the couple on their return flight to the United Kingdom. Prof May said: “We will approach all of these individuals and work closely again to ensure there is no risk to them or the people around them.”
The UKHSA said it was tracing the pair’s contacts on their journey home and stressed there was no significant threat to the wider public.
What happens to the British passengers still on the MV Hondius?
The epidemic claimed three lives aboard the MV Hondius. The ship received Spanish permission to open port in the Canary Islands, overriding reservations expressed by local authorities.
Oceanwide Expeditions said about 150 people were still on board and operating under “strict precautionary measures.” Of these, 19 passengers and four crew members are British citizens.
It was stated that the condition of the 56-year-old British man, one of the three people taken off the ship by plane on Wednesday, was in good condition. The Spanish health minister’s earlier claim that he was the ship’s doctor has since been disputed.
British citizens on the ship who do not show symptoms are expected to be repatriated via charter flight from the Canary Islands. When they return home, they face a period of self-isolation calculated from their last potential exposure point.
What does WHO say about the hantavirus epidemic?
WHO assessed the overall public health risk as low, noting that the virus is unlikely to spread from person to person except in situations of long-term close contact. It is unknown where and how the outbreak started, and health officials have not yet determined whether the infections have spread beyond those on the ship.
According to the World Health Organization, the three evacuees – including a 41-year-old Dutch crew member and a 65-year-old German citizen and British man – were transported to the Netherlands for treatment.
What did the British government say about the MV Hondius crisis?
The Foreign Office has vowed to work “urgently” to ensure the safe return of British nationals. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the crisis was “very serious and extremely stressful for those affected and their families”.
