Deadly Hantavirus scare deepens as 2 Britons test positive after cruise ship outbreak

“None of the British citizens onboard are currently reporting symptoms, but they are being closely monitored,” the agency said.

The UK government said it is continuing to work with international authorities to prepare for the arrival of British nationals from the cruise ship MV Hondius, where an outbreak of Hantavirus was confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The vessel is expected to dock in Tenerife on Sunday, according to the latest update from Spain’s health ministry. UK government staff will be stationed on the ground to assist British nationals disembarking from the ship.

British passengers and crew not displaying symptoms of Hantavirus will be escorted by UK government officials to an airport and provided free travel back to the UK, authorities said.

The UKHSA is working with partner agencies to ensure the repatriation flight operates under strict infection-control protocols. Public health and infectious disease specialists from UKHSA and the NHS will also be onboard to monitor passengers, ensure preventive measures are followed and provide medical care if required during the journey.

All British passengers and crew returning from the MV Hondius will be required to self-isolate for 45 days, with UKHSA closely monitoring them and conducting tests where necessary.

Follow-up monitoring is already underway for individuals who may have been exposed to confirmed cases and have since returned to the UK or are currently in UK Overseas Territories. The government said appropriate support will be provided to those in self-isolation.

UKHSA said it is also aware of seven British nationals who disembarked the ship at Saint Helena on April 24. Of those, two have independently returned to the UK and are currently isolating at home. Neither is reporting symptoms at this stage, the agency said.

Professor Robin May said: “This is an evolving situation, and we are working closely with partners to support British nationals on board the MV Hondius.”

Meanwhile, the WHO stressed on Friday that the risk of Hantavirus spreading to the general population remains “absolutely low,” after a flight attendant who came into contact with an infected passenger later tested negative.

“This is not COVID,” WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier told reporters during a briefing in Geneva.

Three people have died and several others have fallen ill aboard the Dutch-flagged expedition vessel, triggering an international public health response involving authorities across Europe, Africa and Latin America.

According to the WHO, eight infections have been reported so far, including five laboratory-confirmed cases and three suspected infections linked to the rare Andes strain of Hantavirus.

“From close contacts, including a flight attendant who handled the infected passenger shortly before she died, we have received negative test results. That should reassure people that while this is a dangerous virus for those infected, the risk to the wider public remains extremely low,” Lindmeier said.