UK To Isolate MV Hondius Passengers At Former COVID-19 Facility Over Hantavirus Fears

British authorities are set to isolate passengers and crew members returning from the MV Hondius cruise ship following a deadly hantavirus outbreak that has claimed three lives during the voyage.

The 22 remaining British nationals aboard the Dutch vessel are expected to return to the United Kingdom on a chartered flight after the ship docks in the Canary Islands this weekend.

On arrival, the passengers will undergo clinical assessment, testing and temporary isolation at a managed medical facility as health officials step up measures to prevent any possible spread of the virus.

Arrowe Park Hospital in Wirral, Merseyside — previously used as a quarantine centre during the COVID-19 pandemic — has been selected as the isolation site for the returning passengers.

At least five confirmed hantavirus cases have been linked to the outbreak, including one of the three passengers who died during the cruise.

Two British men confirmed to have contracted the virus are currently receiving treatment in hospitals in the Netherlands and South Africa, while another Briton is being treated for a suspected infection on Tristan da Cunha, a remote Atlantic island where the ship stopped in mid-April.

In a joint statement, NHS England North West, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board, Merseyside Police, North West Ambulance Service and Wirral Council said detailed arrangements had been made to safely receive and isolate the passengers.

The agencies said organisations across Cheshire and Merseyside were working closely with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and other government bodies to support the repatriation process.

According to the statement, the passengers will remain in isolation for up to 72 hours for clinical assessment and testing before public health experts determine whether they can continue isolation at home or another approved location based on their living conditions and health status.

Despite growing concerns, authorities maintained that the risk to the general public remains very low, stressing that all necessary precautions are in place.

Officials also commended frontline workers and partner agencies involved in coordinating the operation and ensuring the welfare of the affected passengers.

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Earlier reports indicated that fears over the spread of hantavirus intensified after suspected infections linked to the outbreak-stricken MV Hondius were reported in Spain and on Tristan da Cunha, raising concerns the virus may have spread beyond the cruise ship.

According to Reuters, health officials said the suspected cases involve a man who fell ill after disembarking from the vessel and a woman who reportedly became sick after sitting near an infected passenger during a flight.

The World Health Organization, however, continues to maintain that the overall public health risk remains low.

WHO said eight people aboard the MV Hondius were initially identified as suspected cases of hantavirus, with six later confirmed through testing. Three of those infected have died.