The cruise ship is currently carrying around 150 stranded passengers and is now travelling to Tenerife
Northern Ireland’s Public Health Agency is “continuing to monitor” the Hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship.
The regional public health organisation said it is working closely with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on the “evolving situation” associated with the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius, which is situated off the coast of Cape Verde.
The cruise ship is currently carrying around 150 stranded passengers and is now travelling to Tenerife, where it is expected to dock on Sunday. It comes as a third British national has suspected hantavirus linked to the cruise ship outbreak.
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In a statement, a spokesperson for the Public Health Agency said: “The Public Health Agency is working closely with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on the evolving situation associated with the MV Hondius.
“We will continue to monitor the situation alongside other agencies and partners. Further information and updates can be found on the UKHSA website at www.gov.uk/government/news/ukhsa-update-on-the-hantavirus-cruise-ship-outbreak.”
Hantavirus is usually transmitted through breathing in infected rodent urine, faeces or saliva. Although uncommon, human-to-human transmission can occur, potentially causing severe and life-threatening respiratory failure.
The UKHSA said none of the UK citizens on board the ship are currently reporting systems, but they are being closely monitored.
A spokesperson for the UKHSA added: “UK Government staff will be on the ground ready to support the British nationals disembarking.
“British passengers and ship crew not displaying any symptoms of hantavirus will be escorted by UK Government staff to an airport and given free passage back to the UK.”
It said Foreign Office officials and UKHSA teams will continue to support passengers, with a dedicated repatriation flight being organised for passengers and crew.
The statement added: “UKHSA is working with partners to ensure the flight operates under strict infection control measures.
“Public health and infectious disease specialists from UKHSA and the NHS will be on board to monitor British nationals whilst on the flight, to ensure that preventative measures are in place and to provide any care in the unlikely event that any passengers become unwell on the flight.”
The UKHSA said two British nationals have confirmed hantavirus but there is now “an additional suspected case of a British national on Tristan da Cunha”.
The patient remains on the remote South Atlantic island. The other two British nationals remain in hospital in the Netherlands and South Africa.
All British passengers and crew from the ship are being asked to isolate for 45 days upon returning to the UK, with close monitoring by UKHSA officials.
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