MV Hondius Hantavirus Outbreak: Two British Passengers Self-Isolate After St Helena Cruise

A hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius led to two British passengers self-isolating at home in the UK after health officials said the pair had been on the ship but did not have symptoms.

“- Published Two British people are self-isolating at home in the UK after potential exposure to hantavirus on the cruise ship struck by an outbreak, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said”

BBC

The UK Health Security Agency said the British passengers and 21 others left St Helena, where the ship docked from April 22-24, and flew from Johannesburg back to their home countries or on to other holiday destinations.

BBC

The Swiss man, who remained in hospital in Zurich, was among 23 people who had travelled after the cruise and was reported to have symptoms after the cruise ship operator contacted returned passengers.

Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, the WHO director-general, said: "In line with the International Health Regulations, WHO is working with relevant countries to support international contact tracing".

UKHSA said the two people were self-isolating after not displaying any symptoms, and the agency described the risk to the general public as "very low" while tracing close contacts.

The Mirror quoted Prof Robin May, UKHSA's chief scientific officer, saying: "At the moment we are working — as you would expect — on the most cautious scenario, which is a potential eight-week isolation."

Birmingham Live

In parallel, the WHO said international contact tracing was ongoing and that passengers who disembarked from the ship were informed by the ship's operators and asked to report any signs and symptoms.

A passenger also told El Pais that "There are 23 people wandering around there, and until three days ago, no one had contacted them," describing concerns about the timing of notifications and contact tracing.

As the response expanded beyond the UK, three suspected hantavirus patients were evacuated from the MV Hondius for medical care in the Netherlands, including a British crew member named Martin Anstee, 56, who told Sky News: "I’m doing OK.

“Three patients suspected of having the hantavirus were evacuated from the MV Hondius cruise ship and were on their way to the Netherlands for medical care, the World Health Organization said Wednesday”

CBS News

I’m not feeling too bad."

The Guardian reported that the evacuation meant the ship could continue on its three-day journey to the Canary Islands after Spanish authorities gave permission for the vessel to dock, even as the president of the Canary Islands expressed concern over docking in Tenerife.

The UKHSA update on GOV.UK said none of the British citizens onboard were currently reporting symptoms but they were being closely monitored, and it added that UKHSA was supporting a small number of close contacts who were also self-isolating.

Dr Meera Chand said: "We are standing up arrangements to support, isolate and monitor British nationals from the ship on their return to the UK".