Ten British nationals from remote islands connected to a cruise ship outbreak of hantavirus are to be brought to the UK in case they develop the illness, officials have said. The group, believed to be residents of the UK overseas territories of St Helena and Ascension Island in the South Atlantic, will be relocated to the UK to complete their self-isolation as a precautionary measure, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
All those involved are British and include individuals who left the MV Hondius cruise ship in St Helena, along with medical staff who have been in contact with them. The UKHSA stated that the relocation involves 'some contacts who are already isolating, to places where they can safely self-isolate with access to appropriate specialist medical services.'
This decision was made because England's NHS high consequence infectious disease network is well equipped to respond if they become unwell. Currently, none of these contacts are symptomatic, and the move is precautionary to support communities in UK overseas territories. The locations where they will isolate will be announced in due course.
Further Developments in the Hantavirus Outbreak
This comes as 20 British nationals from the MV Hondius, together with a German who is a UK resident and a Japanese passenger, who have been isolating at Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral, prepare to leave the facility. They were taken there on Sunday evening (May 10) after the ship docked in Tenerife for a three-day isolation and assessment period. They will now isolate for a further 42 days.
The UKHSA said that public health and clinical specialists have assessed each passenger's individual circumstances, and where safe and possible, tailored support packages will be provided to enable people to isolate at home. Health protection teams across the UK will continue to monitor and support everyone after they leave the facility, with daily contact throughout the isolation period. A small number of individuals who have been isolating at home or elsewhere in England will also be assessed at Arrowe Park.
Previously, it was reported that two Britons who returned to the UK from the ship early have been isolating at home. They contacted officials after hearing about the outbreak of hantavirus. It is understood that neither of these people have developed symptoms but will stay at Arrowe Park while they continue to isolate.
Official Statements and International Response
Professor Robin May, chief scientific officer at UKHSA, expressed gratitude to the passengers for their cooperation and patience during what has been a very unsettling period. He emphasized that the priority remains to ensure everyone is safe and well supported wherever they complete their isolation. He also requested that the media and the public respect the privacy of the passengers and their families.
A statement from the Ascension Island Government confirmed that a small number of individuals currently on St Helena who travelled on the vessel have been assessed as higher risk. While the likelihood of illness remains low, UKHSA advised pre-emptive relocation to the UK to complete their self-isolation, with full support on arrival.
One British man with hantavirus is still being cared for in Johannesburg and is thought to be improving, while another is in the Netherlands. Another British national has hantavirus and is isolating where he lives on the remote island of Tristan da Cunha.
Separately, the head of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, told a briefing on Tuesday (May 12) that some passengers on the cruise ship had been facing mental breakdown. He said it would have been 'inhumane' to leave people on board the ship rather than letting it dock in Tenerife, from where people were repatriated to their home countries. He called for kindness and compassion towards those involved, noting that almost 150 people from 23 countries were on the ship for weeks in a frightening situation.
Dr Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez for allowing the ship to dock in the Canaries, stating that it met Spain's legal duty under international law and its moral duty to show solidarity. So far, 11 hantavirus cases have been reported among people on the cruise, including three deaths. Nine of the 11 cases are confirmed, with two more probable. He added that there is no sign of a larger outbreak, but given the long incubation period, more cases might appear in the coming weeks.
In a video message on Monday, the ship's captain, Mr Dobrogowski, thanked passengers and crew for their patience, discipline, and kindness during the extremely challenging past few weeks.
Meanwhile, a French woman who tested positive for hantavirus is in intensive care in a stable condition at a Paris hospital. One of 18 evacuated passengers flown to the US has also tested positive but has no symptoms, while another had mild symptoms. Spain's health ministry said one Spaniard quarantining in Madrid has also provisionally tested positive for hantavirus.
