Six passengers from a cruise ship affected by a hantavirus outbreak have arrived in Australia, where they will undergo a quarantine period of at least three weeks. The Gulfstream long-range business jet transporting them from the Netherlands touched down at RAAF Base Pearce, located near Perth, the capital of Western Australia. The passengers and crew are scheduled to be transferred to the Bullsbrook quarantine facility nearby.
Government Response
Australian Health Minister Mark Butler stated on Thursday that the government would implement what he described as "one of the strongest quarantine arrangements in response to this virus outbreak you’ll find anywhere in the world." The five Australian citizens and one New Zealand national are expected to spend the three-week quarantine period at the facility, which has remained largely unused since its construction in 2022 as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Incubation Period Considerations
A decision has yet to be made regarding precautions for the remainder of the 42-day potential incubation period identified by the World Health Organization, according to Butler. He also noted that passengers from the MV Hondius who returned to the United States and Britain would spend most of their quarantine periods at home.
All six passengers tested negative for the virus before departing the Netherlands and have not displayed any symptoms, Butler confirmed.
Outbreak Details
Among the 11 cases of hantavirus aboard the MV Hondius, three people have died. The ship was on a voyage from Argentina to the Antarctic and then to several isolated islands in the South Atlantic Ocean when the outbreak was identified. With the evacuation of all passengers and many crew members completed, the MV Hondius is now sailing back to the Netherlands, where it will undergo cleaning and disinfection.
