Australians Returning from Hantavirus Exposure Face Strict Quarantine Measures
Australians who have been exposed to the deadly hantavirus will face the “strongest quarantine arrangement anywhere in the world” upon their arrival in Perth, according to Health Minister Mark Butler. This comes as officials prepare for the return of six passengers who were stranded on the MV Hondius cruise ship, which was exposed to the virus.
The group includes four Australians, one permanent resident, and a New Zealander. They were evacuated after being affected by the hantavirus, which has claimed three lives and infected several others on board. The six passengers were expected to depart Tenerife in the Canary Islands on a flight chartered by the federal government overnight, but the flight failed to arrive. Instead, they flew from Spain to the Netherlands, where they will remain for 48 hours before making the final journey to Western Australia.
Once they land back in Australia, they will be placed in a three-week quarantine. Fronting a press conference on Tuesday, Mr Butler said the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) was still finalising the Australians’ repatriation flights from the Netherlands, adding that authorities were navigating “complex arrangements” with Dutch counterparts.
“We’re confident they’ll be finalised within the 48-hour timeframe that the Netherlands government has given,” Mr Butler said. He emphasized that hantavirus, a rodent-borne illness, has been officially listed in Australia as a “human disease … subject to biosecurity orders.” These powers allow for extreme measures to contain the disease.
For this reason, the group of returnees will land at RAAF Base Pearce near Perth and be transported immediately to the quarantine facility at Bullsbrook. “That facility is purpose-built exactly for this sort of a case,” Mr Butler said.
First Photos of Plane Leaving Spain Released
The first photos of the group of travelers leaving Tenerife South Airport were released on Tuesday as the group began the final stretch home. The flight left Spain about 4:45am on Tuesday and arrived in the Netherlands shortly after 8:30am. Passengers met with Australian ambassador to the Netherlands Greg French at the airport, who spoke to them about the next steps as they continued their journey.
The passengers are expected to stay in the Netherlands for a maximum of 48 hours before making the flight to Western Australia.
Strengthened Quarantine Measures
Mr Butler told reporters on Tuesday that the passengers would be cared for by members of the Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre based in Darwin. “(The centre) was set up in 2002 in response to the Bali bombing tragedy,” he said. “It has very high experience in dealing with infectious disease emergencies and a range of other medical emergencies, both here in Australia and across the region.”
He added that staff are in the process of being deployed from Darwin to look after the five Australians and the single New Zealander who will be at Bullsbrook over the course of these three weeks. “I am very confident that Australians can all have confidence that there is no risk to the broader Australian community from this tragedy that’s happened on a cruise ship over the other side of the world.”
Major Quarantine Move
Mr Butler told the ABC that the passengers were on a flight to the Netherlands, where they would continue the journey to Western Australia and begin their three-week quarantine period. “They were due to land at 8:10am (AEST time), and they will be transited to a hotel quarantine facility while the flight arrangements from the Netherlands to Australia are finalised,” he said. “This is a difficult arrangement to make.”
Medical staff will be on the flights to monitor and assist the passengers, who will remain in the Netherlands for a maximum of 48 hours before making the final journey to Australia. “So, over the next 24 to 48 hours, we expect them to start their flight back to Australia,” Mr Butler said.
Challenging Situation for Cruise Captain
In his first public statement, MV Hondius captain Jan Dobrogowski said the past few weeks had been “extremely challenging” but was thankful for the “kindness” offered by the crew and others involved in the process. “What touched me the most, what moved me the most was your patience, your discipline and also kindness, kindness that you show to each other throughout,” he said in a social media video.
He thanked the crew for their “selfless resolve” shown to the passengers as they waited to fly home. “I could not imagine sailing through these circumstances with a better group of people, guests and crew alike,” he said.
Purpose-Built Facility
Australian Medical Association WA president Kyle Hoath told the Today show that the returned passengers would stay in a “purpose-built quarantine facility” in Bullsbrook, about 40km north of Perth. “Quarantine will go for three weeks, which we know at this stage is only part of the suspected incubation period of 42 days,” Dr Hoath said.
The flight distance and refuel requirements had to adhere to strict health advice, which made the repatriation mission complex. None of the repatriated passengers are displaying symptoms of the virus, but personnel will be on-board the flight to monitor their conditions.
