The UK Foreign Office has cautioned British travelers about the emergence of hantavirus as a health risk in Argentina.
Investigators in Argentina suspect that a Dutch couple, who were the first cases identified on the MV Hondius cruise ship, may have contracted the virus during a bird-watching expedition across Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay before boarding the ship. The vessel set sail from Argentina, and efforts to determine the source of the outbreak are centered there.
A missing British individual who left the cruise early has been located but has not returned to the UK yet. Five out of the eight suspected hantavirus cases associated with the ship have been confirmed, with three fatalities. Another British national is receiving treatment for a suspected case on Tristan da Cunha, as reported by the UKHSA.
Authorities in Tenerife are making preparations to receive over 140 passengers and crew members from the MV Hondius, which is en route to the Canary Islands. The ship is expected to arrive by Sunday, and health officials plan to conduct careful evacuations upon its arrival.
Virginia Barcones, Spain’s head of emergency services, mentioned, “They will arrive at a completely isolated, cordoned-off area.”
The UK government has announced plans to send a plane to evacuate the remaining nearly two dozen British individuals on the cruise ship.
Experts emphasize the importance of studying the current hantavirus outbreak to enhance global preparedness for future occurrences.
Professor Sir Peter Horby from the University of Oxford stated that health agencies are taking appropriate measures to protect UK citizens.
Researchers at the University of Bath are actively working on developing a vaccine for hantavirus. Chemist Professor Asel Sartbaeva and her team have been focusing on creating a vaccine that can withstand transportation at room temperature, including drone delivery.
The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that the morale among passengers on board the ship has improved as it heads towards Tenerife. Health personnel and experts from WHO and ECDC are conducting medical assessments on all individuals on board.
While the risk to the public is deemed low, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned about the potential for more cases due to the virus’s incubation period. Dr. Tedros also assured that the outbreak is not expected to escalate into an epidemic.
All British passengers and crew from the MV Hondius are advised to isolate for 45 days upon their return to the UK, with health officials closely monitoring them. Contact tracing is being carried out for those who may have been in contact with infected individuals.
The UKHSA has identified a suspected hantavirus case on Tristan da Cunha, with two confirmed cases among British nationals. The agency is closely monitoring the situation.
At this time, the hantavirus outbreak is contained, with health authorities working to prevent further spread through contact tracing and isolation measures.
