The United Kingdom has dispatched a rapid support team to the remote South Atlantic island of St Helena following a hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship, health officials confirmed on Friday.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) announced that a three-person team from the UK Public Health Rapid Support Team (UK-PHRST) has been deployed to the British overseas territories of St Helena and Ascension. This deployment comes in response to a formal request for assistance from the island's government.
The move follows earlier revelations that ten Britons from these islands, who were connected to the MV Hondius cruise ship outbreak, are being brought back to the UK as a precautionary measure to prevent the development of the illness. These individuals, believed to be residents of St Helena and Ascension, are being repatriated to complete their self-isolation, according to the UKHSA earlier this week.
Three people have died as a result of the hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius, with at least 11 reported cases among passengers. The specialist team includes microbiologists Clara Milroy and Kimberley Steeds, who will support PCR testing for hantavirus and rule out other conditions. They are joined by Anthony Twyman, an infection prevention and control expert, who will assist Jamestown General Hospital in preparing for and responding to potential cases through assessments and training. The trio is expected to remain on the island for eight weeks.
Dr Edmund Newman, director of the UK Public Health Rapid Support Team, stated: "This deployment reflects UKHSA’s commitment to responding rapidly to health threats wherever they emerge and to supporting our international partners in protecting public health globally." He added: "Our teams continue to work closely with all those affected by this outbreak, both in the UK and overseas, to ensure all necessary support is in place. The risk to the general public remains very low."
Separately, Public Health Scotland issued a warning on Thursday, indicating that a small number of individuals in Scotland may have had contact with the virus. The agency is actively working to identify and contact those potentially affected.
