Six individuals who were aboard a cruise ship involved in a deadly hantavirus outbreak have arrived in Australia. The group includes four Australian citizens, one permanent resident, and one New Zealander. They traveled on a repatriation flight that departed the Netherlands late on Thursday, where they had been staying after leaving the MV Hondius.
The plane landed at RAAF Base Pearce, located approximately 40 kilometers northeast of Perth. From there, the six passengers boarded a minibus that transported them to the Bullsbrook Centre for National Resilience under police escort.
Passengers wave
The passengers, who were wearing full-body protective gear, waved at reporters from the minibus. According to Federal Health Minister Mark Butler, the six tested negative for hantavirus before the flight and were asymptomatic. He stated that they “remain in good health” and would undergo a detailed health assessment, including additional PCR tests.
The ABC understands that the passengers were tested and processed by the Australian Border Force prior to their transfer to the quarantine centre. They will remain in quarantine for three weeks.
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The flight crew and a doctor on board are expected to also quarantine at the facility voluntarily for two weeks. Mr. Butler confirmed that everyone on board maintained full PPE throughout the flight. Department of Agriculture and Fisheries staff will decontaminate the repatriation flight’s plane.
What’s next for the passengers?
Mr. Butler mentioned that the passengers will be supported at the quarantine centre by staff flown in from Darwin’s national critical care and trauma response centre. He noted that the rooms housing the passengers have balconies, TVs, and wi-fi.
“I’m sure these passengers would prefer to be home. I thank them for their cooperation throughout this very difficult ordeal,” the minister said. “Our principal responsibility is to keep them safe, and we have taken a precautionary approach to that.”
He added that further arrangements are being made beyond the initial three weeks, as the incubation period for hantavirus is about 42 days.
“We’re not going to let anything happen that doesn’t align with World Health Organization (WHO) advice about the incubation period for this virus,” Mr. Butler said.
The five Australians in the group are from New South Wales and Queensland. Mr. Butler stated that both state governments will be involved in managing the latter half of the incubation period.
The WHO’s latest update on the hantavirus outbreak, linked to the cruise ship, reported 11 cases and three deaths. Eight of these cases were laboratory-confirmed, while two were deemed “probable,” and one was inconclusive.
The two most recent confirmed cases were reported from France and Spain. Both individuals were passengers of the MV Hondius.
