UK Plane Arrives with Passengers Evacuated from Hantavirus-Affected Cruise Ship

Twenty Britons evacuated from a hantavirus-affected cruise ship have arrived in the UK and are quarantined at Arrowe Park Hospital. The outbreak has caused three deaths, with several confirmed and suspected cases worldwide. Support and isolation measures are in place.

Arrival of Evacuated Passengers in the UK

A plane carrying 20 British nationals evacuated from a cruise ship affected by hantavirus has landed in the United Kingdom.

The passengers were transported from Tenerife on a charter flight after the HV Hondius docked there early on Sunday morning. Upon arrival, they will be taken to Arrowe Park Hospital in Wirral, Merseyside, where they will be isolated for 72 hours.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has stated that the risk to the general public remains very low.

Hantavirus Outbreak Details

To date, three fatalities have been reported in the outbreak, including two of the six individuals confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO) to have contracted hantavirus.

Among the other confirmed cases are two British nationals currently receiving treatment in the Netherlands and South Africa.

Hantavirus comprises a group of viruses typically carried by rodents. While most strains do not transmit from person to person, the Andes strain identified in several individuals aboard the Dutch cruise ship is an exception.

Twenty-two British nationals were on board the cruise ship when it docked in the Canary Islands on Sunday. None have reported symptoms; however, they are under observation, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

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Map showing the route of the cruise ship MV Hondius across the South Atlantic Ocean with a timeline of incidents. The ship departs Ushuaia, Argentina on 1 April. On 11 April, the first passenger dies at sea. The route continues north east toward Africa. On 24 April, the wife of the deceased passenger is flown from St Helena to South Africa. A marker near South Africa notes: 26 April, a woman dies in Johannesburg; 27 April, a second sick passenger is flown to hospital. On 2 May, another passenger dies onboard. On 3 May, the ship arrives at Cape Verde. A final note indicates the ship is due to arrive in Tenerife on 10 May. The route is shown as a red line with arrows and black dots marking key locations. — This timeline is correct at time of publication on May 9

Quarantine and Support Measures at Arrowe Park Hospital

Janelle Holmes, CEO of Wirral University Teaching Hospital Trust, which manages Arrowe Park Hospital, stated that the evacuees will undergo screening and continuous assessment upon arrival.

They will be accommodated in self-contained flats equipped with telephones to maintain contact with friends and family. A specialist team will be present throughout their quarantine period to provide support.

"What we've learnt from past experience is they're going to be absolutely shattered. They've probably felt quite traumatised by the whole experience so the thing for us to do is to make sure that they're here, they're safe, they're welcome," Holmes said.

Following their stay at Arrowe Park, the former passengers will be required to self-isolate for an additional 42 days as a precautionary measure, UKHSA confirmed.

Additional Cases and Response Efforts

In addition to the confirmed cases, there are two suspected cases, including a British man located on the remote Atlantic island of Tristan da Cunha. He is currently stable and in isolation.

A team consisting of six British Army paratroopers and two medical clinicians has parachuted onto the island to assist its two-person medical team in providing care to the man and the island's other residents.

Meanwhile, two British nationals are voluntarily self-isolating at home in the UK after disembarking the vessel at St Helena on 24 April, prior to the confirmation of the first hantavirus case.