Six Cruise Ship Passengers Quarantined at Perth Facility Over Hantavirus Exposure

Six passengers from a cruise ship at the centre of a hantavirus outbreak are being transported to the 500-bed Centre for National Resilience in Bullsbrook, approximately 40 kilometres north-east of Perth. The purpose-built quarantine facility, completed in 2022, has sat largely unused since then.

It will now be used for disease control for the first time since construction. The passengers include four Australians, one permanent resident and one New Zealander. The MV Hondius became the site of an outbreak last month. A Dutch passenger died on board on April 11, and his wife died days later after disembarking.

Another passenger was medically evacuated to South Africa, where they remain in hospital. A German passenger died on the ship on May 2. The vessel is currently docked at Tenerife in the Canary Islands. The six passengers will be flown to RAAF Pearce in Perth and then moved to the nearby quarantine facility.

Since completion in 2022, the Bullsbrook centre has been used only as emergency accommodation for bushfire evacuees. The WA government spent $13 million maintaining the facility for 12 months before its management was handed over to the federal Department of Finance.

The Centre for National Resilience was one of three such facilities built around the country at a combined cost of $1.37 billion. The buildings feature customised ventilation systems, covered verandahs, separated stairways, materials selected for easy cleaning and on-site health support infrastructure.

Each self-contained unit includes air-conditioning, a bathroom, television, internet and a small kitchen with a microwave and a fridge.

The charter flight from Tenerife was scheduled to depart just after 1am Tuesday AWST and will transit through the Netherlands before landing at RAAF Pearce later this week. Medical personnel will be on board to monitor the passengers. WA Health has confirmed none of the travellers is displaying symptoms of the virus.

The passengers will undergo a minimum three-week quarantine period. Officials will wear personal protective equipment and follow strict procedures to limit potential exposure. Hantavirus is spread by inhalation of contaminated rodent droppings and is not easily transmitted between people.

The lengthy potential incubation period for the virus is up to 42 days. Officials said the passengers may be required to quarantine beyond three weeks depending on medical advice. A medical association representative stated the risk of the virus spreading in the community was close to zero because it is not as readily transmitted as some other diseases.

The community near the facility faces no greater risk than anywhere else, according to health officials. The Centre for National Resilience in Bullsbrook was described as a safe and appropriate facility for the quarantine.