There is “no sign” of a larger hantavirus outbreak following the evacuation of the virus-stricken MV Hondius, the director of the World Health Organization said.
During a news conference on Monday, Tedros Abhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the WHO, said the assessment of hantavirus “continues to be that the risk to health globally continues to be low.”
“There have been no deaths since 2nd of May when WHO was first informed of the cluster of cases. All suspected and confirmed cases have been isolated and managed under strict medical supervision, minimizing any risk of further transmission,” Ghebreyesus said.
“But of course, the situation could change. Given the long incubation period of the virus, it’s possible we may see more cases in the coming weeks,” he added.
The director of the WHO said that each country where the passengers have been repatriated is responsible for monitoring their health.
“WHO’s recommendation is that they should be monitored actively at a specified quarantine facility or at home for 42 days from the last exposure which is the 10th of May which takes us to the 21st of June,” he said.
As of Tuesday, the WHO said it has identified 11 cases, with nine of them confirmed, including three people from the cruise ship who died.
The organization said it expects “more cases given the dynamics of spread on a ship and the virus’ incubation period.”
“At the moment, there is no sign that we are seeing the start of a larger outbreak. Passengers and crew are being followed up in their countries, where WHO recommends a 42-day quarantine at home or in a facility starting from day of departure from the ship,” the WHO added.
A Spanish passenger evacuated from the cruise ship at the centre of the hantavirus outbreak has tested positive for the virus, Spain’s health ministry announced Tuesday.
“The patient who yesterday tested provisionally positive has been confirmed as positive for hantavirus. As for the rest of the people who remained under study at Gómez Ulla Hospital, the definitive tests have confirmed a total of 13 negative results,” Spain’s Health Ministry confirmed in a post on X.
The Health Ministry said the patient had a “low-grade fever and mild respiratory symptoms, although he/she is currently stable and without any evident clinical deterioration.”
The passenger with the new confirmed case of hantavirus was in quarantine in a military hospital in Madrid, where 13 other Spanish nationals evacuated Sunday — who all tested negative for the virus — are also staying.
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The United States announced Monday that one passenger who was evacuated from the ship was experiencing mild symptoms.
In an update on Tuesday, Spain’s Health Ministry said that the U.S. citizen’s test was inconclusive “and subsequently negative.”
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said that 18 American passengers from the MV Hondius and a dual U.S.-British citizen travelled on the returning Department of State airlift on Monday.
Fifteen passengers are at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, while two others are being monitored in Atlanta.
One passenger, who previously tested positive for hantavirus, was transported to the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit for monitoring. As of Monday morning, the individual was “doing well and not showing any symptoms at this time,” reported Angela Hewlett, the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit’s medical director.
“Two passengers from the airlift, including one who traveled with mild symptoms in the plane’s biocontainment unit, are now at Emory University’s RESPTC in Atlanta. All individuals in both facilities will receive clinical assessment and appropriate care and support based on their condition and needs,” the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said.
The 15 passengers in the National Quarantine Unit are currently “in good shape and in good spirits,” Dr. Michael Wadman said. “They are definitely tired and needed some rest.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that the risk to the public’s health in the United States is “considered extremely low at this time.”
“As a precaution, CDC is working to increase awareness of the outbreak among travelers, public health agencies, laboratories, and healthcare professionals nationwide,” the CDC added.
Meanwhile, British Columbia’s top doctor said that the four Canadians who were aboard MV Hondius arrived safely at Victoria International Airport on Sunday and the arrival “went smoothly.”
“On arrival, each individual was screened and thoroughly assessed by the Island Health public health teams and we were there in a very controlled conditions, wearing appropriate PPE,” Dr. Bonnie Henry told reporters on Monday, noting that all four “continue to be well and have no symptoms.”
She said that they are in a “very critical phase of the incubation period” and the four Canadians were transferred directly from the airport to the secure, prearranged lodgings where they have begun a minimum 21-day period of isolation under direction and with ongoing contact of the public health team.
“After talking to each of the individuals, I can confirm that two are a couple in their 70s who live in Yukon Territory. One is a person in their 70s who resides here in the Island health region and one is a person in their 50s from British Columbia who is currently living abroad,” she added.
Twelve employees at a Dutch Hospital where a passenger from the MV Hondius is being treated have to quarantine for six weeks after improperly handling bodily fluid, the Radbound University Medical Center said in a statement on Monday.
“At the time of admission, blood was drawn from the patient. This blood was processed according to the standard procedure. Due to the nature of the virus, this blood should have been processed according to a stricter procedure,” the medical centre said.
The medical centre said that the “most up-to-date international regulations had not been applied when disposing of the patient’s urine.”
Due to the nature of the virus, the Dutch employees will go into “preventive quarantine” for six weeks as a precaution, the medical centre said.
“Despite the fact that the chance of actual infection is very small, these measures have a major impact on all those involved. We regret that this happened in our UMC. We will carefully investigate the course of events to learn from this so that it can be prevented in the future,” said Bertine Lahuis, chair of the executive board of Radboud UMC.
“Of course, we will ensure that the colleagues involved receive all the support they need. We have great appreciation for their commitment, and that of their colleagues, to ensure that care for the patient runs smoothly. In the meantime, our UMC stands ready to admit any new patients should this be necessary,” Lahuis added.
A total of 87 passengers and 35 crew were escorted from the ship to shore in Tenerife by personnel in full-body protective gear and breathing masks in a carefully choreographed effort that ended Monday night.
Oceanwide Expeditions, the Dutch company that operates the cruise ship, said in a statement Monday that the ship is heading toward Rotterdam, Netherlands, and is expected to arrive in six days with a provisional arrival date of May 17.
“All guests and a limited number of crew members have now been transferred from m/v Hondius to waiting aircraft. The total number of individuals repatriated to their home countries and the Netherlands is 122 (35 crew, 87 guests),” Oceanwide Expeditions added.
The cruise operator thanked local authorities in the Canary Islands for supporting in facilitating the transfer of the passengers.
“This process, as well as earlier stages of this operation, would not have been possible without the support of Dutch authorities and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We would also like to extend our thanks to the people of the Canary Islands for their contributions to this joint humanitarian effort, as well as to the Spanish Government for its swift preparations and significant logistical support,” the statement added.
Before the final transfer of guests and crew, the MV Hondius bunkered in Granadilla and took necessary supplies ahead of the transit to Rotterdam on Monday morning.
The vessel currently has 25 crew members on board, in addition to two medical professionals accompanying the ship to conduct ongoing medical monitoring during the voyage, the company said.
“At this stage, the exact procedures regarding our arrival in Rotterdam remain under discussion. We can confirm that m/v Hondius will undergo sanitation upon arrival,” Oceanwide Expeditions added.
All remaining crew on board will comply with the medical screening and quarantine conditions in place by the Dutch authorities once they arrive in Rotterdam.
All guests’ luggage remains on board the MV Hondius, and the ship operators are in direct contact with the guests regarding the return of their luggage upon arrival in the Netherlands.
— With files from The Associated Press