There’s “no sign” of a bigger 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 chance 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 after all, the situation could change. Given the long incubation period of the virus, it’s possible we may even see more cases in the approaching weeks,” he added.
The director of the WHO said that every country where the passengers have been repatriated is liable for monitoring their health.
“WHO’s suggestion is that they ought to be monitored actively at a specified quarantine facility or at home for 42 days from the last exposure which is the tenth of May which takes us to the twenty first 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.”
“In the intervening time, there is no such thing as a sign that we’re seeing the beginning of a bigger outbreak. Passengers and crew are being followed up of their countries, where WHO recommends a 42-day quarantine at home or in a facility ranging from day of departure from the ship,” the WHO added.
Spain reports latest hantavirus case
A Spanish passenger evacuated from the cruise ship on 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 remainder of the individuals who remained under study at Gómez Ulla Hospital, the definitive tests have confirmed a complete 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 with none evident clinical deterioration.”
The passenger with the brand 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 US 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 on 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 person was “doing well and never showing any symptoms right now,” reported Angela Hewlett, the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit’s medical director.
“Two passengers from the airlift, including one who traveled with mild symptoms within the plane’s biocontainment unit, are actually at Emory University’s RESPTC in Atlanta. All individuals in each facilities will receive clinical assessment and appropriate care and support based on their condition and desires,” the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said.
The 15 passengers within the National Quarantine Unit are currently “in fine condition and in good spirits,” Dr. Michael Wadman said. “They’re definitely drained and needed some rest.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that the chance to the general public’s health in the US is “considered extremely low right now.”
“As a precaution, CDC is working to extend awareness of the outbreak amongst travelers, public health agencies, laboratories, and healthcare professionals nationwide,” the CDC added.
Meanwhile, British Columbia’s top doctor said that the 4 Canadians who were aboard MV Hondius arrived safely at Victoria International Airport on Sunday and the arrival “went easily.”
“On arrival, each individual was screened and thoroughly assessed by the Island Health public health teams and we were there in a really controlled conditions, wearing appropriate PPE,” Dr. Bonnie Henry told reporters on Monday, noting that each one 4 “proceed to be well and don’t have any symptoms.”
She said that they’re in a “very critical phase of the incubation period” and the 4 Canadians were transferred directly from the airport to the secure, prearranged lodgings where they’ve begun a minimum 21-day period of isolation under direction and with ongoing contact of the general public health team.
“After talking to every of the individuals, I can confirm that two are a pair of their 70s who live in Yukon Territory. One is an individual of their 70s who resides here within the Island health region and one is an individual of their 50s from British Columbia who’s currently living abroad,” she added.
Dutch hospital staff quarantined
Twelve employees at a Dutch Hospital where a passenger from the MV Hondius is being treated must quarantine for six weeks after improperly handling bodily fluid, the Radbound University Medical Center said in a press release on Monday.
“On the time of admission, blood was drawn from the patient. This blood was processed based on the usual procedure. Resulting from the character of the virus, this blood must have been processed based on a stricter procedure,” the medical centre said.
The medical centre said that the “most modern international regulations had not been applied when disposing of the patient’s urine.”
Resulting from the character of the virus, the Dutch employees will go into “preventive quarantine” for six weeks as a precaution, the medical centre said.
“Despite the indisputable fact that the possibility of actual infection may be very small, these measures have a significant impact on all those involved. We regret that this happened in our UMC. We are going to rigorously investigate the course of events to learn from this in order that it may be prevented in the longer term,” said Bertine Lahuis, chair of the chief board of Radboud UMC.
“After all, we are going to make sure that the colleagues involved receive all of the support they need. We now have great appreciation for his or her commitment, and that of their colleagues, to make sure that take care of the patient runs easily. Within the meantime, our UMC stands able to admit any latest patients should this be obligatory,” Lahuis added.
Evacuation of the MV Hondius is complete
A complete of 87 passengers and 35 crew were escorted from the ship to shore in Tenerife by personnel in full-body protective gear and respiratory masks in a rigorously choreographed effort that ended Monday night.
Oceanwide Expeditions, the Dutch company that operates the cruise ship, said in a press release Monday that the ship is heading toward Rotterdam, Netherlands, and is anticipated to reach in six days with a provisional arrival date of May 17.
“All guests and a limited variety of crew members have now been transferred from m/v Hondius to waiting aircraft. The full number of people repatriated to their home countries and the Netherlands is 122 (35 crew, 87 guests),” Oceanwide Expeditions added.
The cruise operator thanked local authorities within the Canary Islands for supporting in facilitating the transfer of the passengers.
“This process, in addition to earlier stages of this operation, wouldn’t have been possible without the support of Dutch authorities and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We’d also wish to extend our due to the people of the Canary Islands for his or her contributions to this joint humanitarian effort, in addition to to the Spanish Government for its swift preparations and significant logistical support,” the statement added.
Before the ultimate transfer of guests and crew, the MV Hondius bunkered in Granadilla and took obligatory supplies ahead of the transit to Rotterdam on Monday morning.
The vessel currently has 25 crew members on board, along with two medical professionals accompanying the ship to conduct ongoing medical monitoring in the course of the voyage, the corporate said.
“At this stage, the precise procedures regarding our arrival in Rotterdam remain under discussion. We will 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 stays on board the MV Hondius, and the ship operators are in direct contact with the guests regarding the return of their luggage upon arrival within the Netherlands.
— With files from The Associated Press