Third British National Suspected of Hantavirus Amid Cruise Ship Outbreak/ Image @ BBC
A third British citizen is suspected to have contracted hantavirus in connection with an outbreak aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius, according to government officials.
The individual is currently located on the remote Atlantic island of Tristan da Cunha, where the vessel made a stop in mid-April.
Two other British men have confirmed infections, one is in stable condition in the Netherlands after being evacuated from the ship on Wednesday, while the other remains in intensive care in South Africa following his medical evacuation last month.
In total, five cases of hantavirus have been confirmed, including one fatality among the three passengers.
The MV Hondius is scheduled to arrive in the Canary Islands this weekend, where a chartered plane will be waiting to transport the remaining British passengers and crew back to the UK. Although none of the other British nationals are exhibiting symptoms at this time, they will be required to isolate upon their return.
Among those evacuated was 56-year-old Martin Anstee, a retired police officer and expedition guide, who reported being “fine” while under care in the Netherlands. Another British passenger, aged 69, has a confirmed case and was airlifted to South Africa at the end of April, he is reportedly improving while still in intensive care.
Additionally, two other British nationals are voluntarily self-isolating at home in the UK after potential exposure but are not showing any symptoms. They were part of a group of 30 individuals from various nations, including seven Britons, who disembarked from the ship at St Helena on April 24.
The operator, Oceanwide Expeditions, stated that the first confirmed case was reported on May 4 and that all guests who left the ship have been contacted.
Four Britons who disembarked at St Helena are currently on the island. While they do not display any symptoms, they are in communication with health authorities. Medical personnel will be dispatched to provide assistance on the islands.
A UK health official indicated that British passengers returning from the MV Hondius may be asked to self-isolate for 45 days.
Contact tracing efforts are underway in several countries for numerous passengers who departed the Dutch cruise ship before the outbreak was identified, including Switzerland and the Netherlands.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has labeled this a “serious incident,” but emphasized that the public risk remains low, clarifying that this outbreak does not resemble the Covid-19 pandemic.
Hantavirus is primarily transmitted by rodents such as mice and rats, however, experts suggest that in this instance, it may have spread among humans in close quarters.
Symptoms can manifest as fever, severe fatigue, abdominal pain, vomiting, and shortness of breath, typically appearing two to four weeks post-exposure.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has noted that the virus is not transmitted through casual contact in public spaces and that instances of human-to-human transmission have occurred only with “close and prolonged” contact.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong