Brit hospitalised with hantavirus in the Netherlands after cruise ship outbreak returns to UK

A British national treated for hantavirus in the Netherlands has been medically evacuated back to the UK, health officials have confirmed.

The individual is now adhering to stringent infection prevention and control measures, according to the Health Security Agency (HSA).

This case was previously identified by the World Health Organisation on 7 May.

The infection is linked to an outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius, which has seen at least 11 passengers report cases, including three fatalities.

British crew member Martin Anstee, 56, was among those evacuated from the ship.

The expedition guide and former police officer was flown to receive specialist medical care in the Netherlands after being airlifted off the vessel.

Dr Meera Chand, deputy director at UKHSA, said: “We have worked closely with FCDO and the Dutch authorities to ensure the safe return of a British national who was previously confirmed to have hantavirus and has been receiving care in the Netherlands.

“It’s important to stress that this is an existing case and the wider risk to the general public remains very low.

“As people continue with their isolation period, UKHSA will continue to work with our partners locally, nationally and internationally to ensure everyone has the necessary support in place.”

This comes as six more people linked to the hantavirus outbreak have left hospital to continue their isolation at home, health officials have said.

Passengers from the cruise ship were taken to Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral for checks and an initial isolation period earlier this month.

The people isolating at home and those who remain in hospital are being closely monitored, it added.

Dr Chand added: “We would like to again stress our thanks and gratitude to everyone at Arrowe Park who has worked so hard during this challenging time.”

The site at Arrowe Park Hospital was last used as an isolation facility at the start of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

Some 19 British nationals were listed as passengers on the MV Hondius, which was sailing from Argentina to Cape Verde, with four British crew members.

Public Health Scotland warned that a small number of people in Scotland have potentially had contact with the virus and that it was working to get in touch with “a small number of individuals” who could be affected.

Oceanwide Expeditions, which operates MV Hondius, said on Tuesday that the ship is undergoing further cleaning in Rotterdam, on the advice of the GGD local health authority. before it returns to its home port in nearby Vlissingen in the southern Netherlands.