Hantavirus cruise passengers assessed at Sydney’s new biocontainment facility
- May 11
- 1 min read
Australian passengers from the MV Hondius cruise ship, linked to a hantavirus outbreak, are expected to return home this week under strict health precautions.
Five travellers including four Australian citizens and one permanent resident will arrive on a charter flight from the Canary Islands accompanied by medical teams in full protective equipment.
On arrival, passengers heading to New South Wales will be transferred directly to Australia’s first specialised biocontainment facility at Westmead Hospital in Sydney for health checks and quarantine assessment.
The outbreak aboard the expedition ship has already claimed three lives, while several others became ill. Passengers and crew were isolated in their cabins to help contain the virus.
Health authorities say the risk to the wider public remains very low. Hantavirus is usually spread through contact with infected rodents and only rarely passes between people through close, prolonged contact.
Australian officials are continuing to coordinate quarantine and transport arrangements with state health departments as monitoring and medical assessments continue.
Source : Guardian News
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