Home / Health / Cruise Ship Hantavirus Scare Ends for Britons
Cruise Ship Hantavirus Scare Ends for Britons
22 Jun
Summary
- Twenty Britons completed 42 days of quarantine after a Hantavirus outbreak.
- Three people died from the rare Andes strain of Hantavirus on the MV Hondius.
- A special UK military mission rescued a patient from a remote island.
Twenty Britons repatriated from the MV Hondius, the site of a significant Hantavirus outbreak, have concluded their 42-day self-isolation period. The passengers had been medically evacuated to the UK after the vessel docked in the Canary Islands on May 10.
They underwent an initial 72-hour monitoring at Arrowe Park Hospital before completing six weeks of self-isolation at home. Throughout this period, they were regularly tested and monitored by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
The outbreak began in early April when a Dutch couple, who had traveled in South America, boarded the ship. They are believed to have contracted the Andes strain of Hantavirus, which led to their deaths and that of a German tourist.
In total, 13 people were infected with the Andes strain. A British man from Tristan da Cunha required a specialized paratrooper and medic mission for treatment on the remote island. He has since recovered.
No secondary infections have been reported, despite concerns over international travel by departing passengers. Research into Hantavirus remains limited, with minimal funding compared to other pathogens.
