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Hantavirus Outbreak: 12 Medics Quarantined After Ship Evacuation
12 May
Summary
- Twelve healthcare workers quarantined for six weeks as a precaution.
- Three individuals died from hantavirus aboard a Dutch ship.
- Patients evacuated from the vessel were treated in the Netherlands and Germany.
A hantavirus outbreak on a Dutch-flagged ship has resulted in three deaths and prompted health measures, including the quarantine of 12 healthcare workers. The infected patient, who contracted the rodent-borne virus, was medically evacuated last week and is currently receiving treatment in a Dutch hospital.
This patient was among three individuals evacuated from the MV Hondius off Cape Verde. One of the evacuated patients was treated in Germany and has since tested negative for the virus. The remaining passengers aboard the vessel, which had 147 people on board, were permitted to disembark on Monday.
Despite initial assurances of containment, a hospital spokesperson confirmed that blood samples from the patient should have been processed using a stricter procedure due to the nature of the hantavirus. The 12 healthcare workers are undergoing a precautionary six-week quarantine.
