Twenty-two passengers from the MV Hondius cruise ship, which experienced a hantavirus outbreak, have begun their first day in isolation at a facility in Merseyside after being flown to the UK from Tenerife. The group, including 20 British nationals, one German resident, and one Japanese passenger, is being housed at the Arrowe Park hospital in Wirral, the same site used for early Covid quarantine.
The evacuation, conducted via a chartered Titan Airways flight, arrived at Manchester airport on Sunday evening. Spain’s health minister confirmed that repatriation flights will continue on Monday, with aircraft heading to Australia and the Netherlands. The UK government transported the Japanese passenger at Tokyo’s request, and they will follow UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) guidance for isolation.
According to the World Health Organization, eight people from the ship have fallen ill, with six confirmed cases of hantavirus. Three deaths have been reported: a Dutch couple and a German national. The US Department of Health and Human Services stated that one of 17 American returnees tested positive for the Andes strain, while a French passenger also tested positive and is deteriorating in health.
Strict infection control measures were in place during the journey, with all individuals wearing personal protective equipment. At Arrowe Park, passengers will undergo clinical assessments and testing within 72 hours, staying in self-contained flats with bedrooms, en suite bathrooms, kitchens, and lounges. Janelle Holmes, chief executive of Wirral university teaching hospital, assured that no symptomatic passengers are present and hospital services remain normal.
Public health minister Sharon Hodgson emphasised that none of the passengers are symptomatic and the risk to the public is extremely low. Passengers will isolate for 45 days, with daily contact from UKHSA teams. If symptoms develop, they will be transferred to Royal Liverpool university hospital, which houses the regional tropical and infectious diseases unit.
