Six people who were evacuated from the cruise ship affected by a hantavirus outbreak have left Arrowe Park hospital in Wirral to complete their isolation at home, health officials have said.
The passengers from the MV Hondius had been admitted to the Merseyside hospital, the UK’s initial Covid quarantine site, for checks by public health and clinical specialists.
After their latest negative test results, the passengers will be allowed to leave the facility to complete their 45-day isolation at home or other suitable accommodation, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said.
Travel arrangements for the passengers from Arrowe Park will be managed with “public health protections in place at every stage of their journey”, and health protection teams will continue to monitor and support them through daily contact, it said.
Twenty-two passengers and crew have been isolating at Arrowe Park: 20 British nationals, a German national who is a UK resident and a Japanese national. All of them have tested negative and remain asymptomatic, according to the UKHSA. It has not said how long the other passengers will stay at Arrowe Park.
Ten other Britons linked to the cruise ship outbreak are being brought to the UK from the British territories of St Helena and Ascension Island in the south Atlantic to complete their isolation as a precautionary measure, the UKHSA said.
It said a medic on Ascension Island had developed symptoms but had tested negative. It is understood that further tests were being carried out to establish whether the symptoms were a result of an unrelated illness.
The UKHSA’s chief scientific officer, Prof Robin May, said: “Our teams are working closely with FCDO [Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office] colleagues and leaders on Ascension Island to repatriate British nationals who are now isolating on the island.
“Testing is under way to confirm the cause of illness for the person displaying symptoms and we will take all necessary action to support this person and the wider island population whilst continuing to protect public health in England and UK overseas territories.
“Once again I must commend those who have cooperated so selflessly with the isolation arrangements at Arrowe Park, and we are pleased that they will now begin to return home to isolate after a very unsettling period for all involved.
“Together this has been an incredible demonstration of international efforts to contain the outbreak.
“Our priority remains to ensure everyone is safe and well supported, wherever they complete their isolation, and our teams will continue to work closely with all of those affected by this outbreak.”
Eleven hantavirus cases have been reported among people on the cruise so far, including three deaths. Nine of the 11 cases are confirmed, with two more probable cases.
