Two Britons self-isolate after hantavirus exposure on Hondius cruise
Two Britons self-isolate after hantavirus exposure on Hondius cruise
UK health officials say two British passengers are self-isolating at home after potential hantavirus exposure on the MV Hondius; risk to the public remains very low.
Two British passengers are currently self-isolating at home in the United Kingdom after potential exposure to hantavirus on the cruise ship MV Hondius. They had been aboard the vessel, which was stranded off Cape Verde as the outbreak unfolded, but they left the ship earlier in its journey and returned to the UK.
They disembarked at St Helena, docking there between April 22 and 24, and then flew back to the UK via Johannesburg. They notified health officials after hearing about the outbreak, and contacts from their journey home are being traced. Officials say the risk to the general public remains very low.
On the Hondius, about 150 people remain aboard under strict precautionary measures. Among them are 19 passengers and four crew members listed as British. One of these Britons, a 56-year-old man, was evacuated earlier this week and is in a stable condition. Spanish authorities had earlier allowed the ship to dock in the Canary Islands, though some local officials had raised concerns. A charter flight is expected to bring the British travelers home from the Canary Islands if they remain asymptomatic, after which they would self-isolate or be quarantined for up to six weeks depending on the timing of last exposure.
Experts say a full assessment will continue and officials will contact everyone suspected of exposure; public health messaging remains that the risk to the wider population is very low.
Prof Robin May, chief scientific officer at the health agency, said authorities will keep in touch with anyone exposed and monitor the situation closely.
