Six Passengers from Cruise Ship in Good Health
Six passengers from a cruise ship involved in a deadly hantavirus outbreak are reported to be in good health, according to recent updates. The Australian government is working diligently to finalise plans for their repatriation within the next 48 hours. Federal Health Minister Mark Butler provided an update on the situation, stating that a French national remains in critical condition at an overseas hospital following the deaths of three other MV Hondius passengers due to the rodent-borne illness.
Mr Butler noted that five Australians and one New Zealander are currently in “relatively good spirits” despite their challenging experience. These passengers arrived in the Netherlands around 6:30am WST on Tuesday and are undergoing medical assessments while in hotel quarantine. Following this, they will be flown to the Royal Australian Air Force military air base in Perth later in the week, before being transported immediately to the nearby Bullsbrook quarantine centre.
Complex Arrangements for Repatriation
“These are complex arrangements given the distance between the Netherlands and Australia,” Mr Butler said on Tuesday morning. He explained that authorities need to find a charter company and crew willing to operate the flight under strict quarantine and isolation requirements. Despite these challenges, he expressed confidence that the necessary arrangements would be finalised within the 48-hour time frame set by the Netherlands government.
The six passengers will isolate at the Bullsbrook facility for at least three weeks, where they will be cared for by staff brought in from the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre in Darwin. Mr Butler highlighted that the staff are “highly experienced in dealing with infectious disease emergencies and a range of other medical emergencies both here in Australia and across the region.”
Extended Quarantine Measures
Mr Butler also mentioned that further quarantine measures may be required beyond the initial three-week period to comply with the World Health Organisation’s recommended 42-day isolation time frame for the hantavirus. This comprehensive approach underscores the seriousness of the situation and the commitment to ensuring public safety.
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Strongest Quarantine Measures in the World
Australia has put in place the strongest quarantine measures in the world among the two dozen countries repatriating passengers from the cruise ship. Mr Butler emphasized that these arrangements will ensure that Australians can have confidence that there is no risk to the broader community from this tragedy occurring on a cruise ship on the other side of the world.
Plans to Deal with ‘Unlikely’ Infection
WA’s Health Minister Meredith Hammat stated that the government is working through the details of what would happen in the “unlikely event” that one of the repatriated passengers falls ill during their quarantine in Perth. She assured that Perth’s tertiary hospitals are equipped to handle a potential infection.
WA Premier Roger Cook mentioned that the government has been advised that the risk is “next to zero” for people living near the Bullsbrook facility and in the wider community. He added that while the hantavirus is not highly contagious, it is important to take a precautionary approach. “From that perspective we’re not alarmed and people should not be concerned in relation to this particular Commonwealth government operation,” he said.
Australia’s Quarantine Centres
Australia has four quarantine centres, known officially as ‘Centres for National Resilience,’ three of which were built during the COVID-19 pandemic at a cost of $1.37 billion. This will be the first time the Bullsbrook facility has been used for quarantining returned travellers since it opened.
WA’s Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas welcomed the use of Bullsbrook for its intended purpose but raised concerns about the government’s previous suggestion to turn the facility into a prison to manage overcrowding. He pointed out that there are “a lot of questions” regarding the care of passengers if they become ill and the precautions that will be implemented at medical facilities.
