Ten Asymptomatic People from Saint Helena and Ascension Island Repatriated to UK for Hantavirus Observation

“— Prof Robin May, chief scientific officer at UKHSA In a later update on Monday evening, Prof Robin May said robust arrangements are in place and that everyone involved will be looked after every step of the way. Three people have died following the outbreak on the cruise ship. Two of the three deceased were confirmed to have hantavirus. An elderly Dutch man died before he could be tested for hantavirus, his wife died after disembarking the ship, and a German woman died on board the ship. On Tuesday morning, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said our work is not over to contain hantavirus after the cruise ship outbreak. He said there is no sign that we are seeing the start of a larger outbreak. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus added that given the long incubation period of the virus, it is possible we might see more cases in the coming weeks.”

“Some of the passengers were facing mental breakdown after being on board the ship for weeks in what must have been a very frightening situation.”

“— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said some of the passengers were facing mental breakdown after being on board the ship for weeks in what must have been a very frightening situation. The WHO's view was that to keep people on board the ship during the quarantine period would have been inhumane and unnecessary. Eighty-seven passengers of the Dutch MV Hondius have been repatriated over the past few days, Oceanwide Expeditions said. All guests who were still on board when the outbreak was confirmed have now been repatriated to their home countries. The ship was heading to the Netherlands with 25 crew members and two medical professionals on board, as well as the body of the German passenger who passed away. Two British nationals have returned home on repatriation flights to the United States, the UK Health Security Agency said. Another British national is due to return to Australia. Another two British nationals with confirmed cases are currently being treated in the Netherlands and South Africa. A British man on the remote Atlantic island of Tristan da Cunha with suspected hantavirus is in a stable condition and in isolation. Two more Britons are continuing to voluntarily self-isolate at home in the UK, having disembarked the vessel at St Helena on 24 April. MV Hondius began its journey on 1 April in Ushuaia, Argentina. About 150 passengers and crew from 28 countries were initially onboard.”