London: As many as 20 Britons arrived after being evacuated from the hantavirus-stricken ship anchored off the West African coast. The passengers who arrived at the Manchester Airport on a chartered flight from Tenerife have been taken to Arrowe Park Hospital in Wirral, Merseyside. A medical observation for 72 hours has been ordered for them.
After leaving Arrowe Park asymptomatic, the former passengers will be asked to self-isolate for a further 42 days as a precaution, UKHSA added. They will not be allowed to take public transport to their homes.
According to the Ministry of Health, the risk to general public remains very low. It is worth noting that none of the UK nationals on the flight have reported symptoms as revealed by UK health officials.
“The UK Government has worked with international partners to ensure the safe return of all remaining British nationals on board the MV Hondius, with passengers now safely transferred to Arrowe Park Hospital,” the UKHSA said in a statement.
Overall, six people have died due to the virus. Two British individuals amongst the two affected are being treated in Netherlands and South Africa.
As a part of the broader response to the outbreak, a team of six British Army paratroopers and two medical clinicians have been deployed to Tristan da Cunha, a remote British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic. Reportedly, a British national on the island tested positive for hantavirus amongst others. According to the Defence Ministry, oxygen supplies and necessary medical equipment were dropped from 16 Air Assault Brigade.
Meanwhile, two Britons who disembarked the ship on April 24 at St Helena are reportedly self-isolating at home.
MV Hondius, the Dutch ship began its journey at Ushuaia, Argentina on April 1 along with 150 passengers and crew from 28 countries. Many disembarked the cruise on Sunday for repatriation to their home countries.
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