The World Health Organization maintained its assessment of the Hanta virus outbreak as “low risk,” coinciding with the Canadian health authorities’ announcement of the confirmation of a Canadian infection who was on board the infected cruise ship “MV Hondius,” while Britain prepares to receive contacts.
The organization stated in a statement that came as the cruise ship in which the virus appeared approached the coast of the Netherlands, that it had re-evaluated the risks to public health based on the latest available information, and the global risks remain low.
She indicated that although additional infections may occur among passengers and crew members exposed before the implementation of containment measures, the risk of transmission of infection is expected to decrease after disembarkation and the implementation of control measures.
According to officials, the MV Hondius ship will dock in the Dutch port of Rotterdam on Monday, before disembarking the remaining 27 passengers on board, including 25 crew members and two medical staff.
Confirmation of infection in Canada
In this context, health authorities in Canada announced that the result of a Canadian woman who was on board the cruise ship “MV Hondius” tested positive for the Hantavirus.
The patient was one of 4 Canadians who were on board the ship that sailed on April 1 from Argentina on a voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, until this rare rodent-borne disease broke out.
A statement issued by the Public Health Agency of Canada explained that the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg confirmed that the test result of a second person who was a travel partner with the confirmed case was negative.
The agency said that no other cases have been detected, stressing that the overall risk to the general population in Canada from the Andean Hantavirus outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship remains low at this time.
Britain is preparing to receive contacts
In a related development, the British Health Security Agency announced that 9 people are scheduled to arrive in the Kingdom after being in contact with a person infected with the Hanta virus.
“Nine asymptomatic contacts from St. Helena and Ascension are expected to arrive in the United Kingdom this evening,” the agency said in a statement.
He indicated that they would be transferred to an isolation facility at Arrowe Park Hospital, near Liverpool in northwest England.
The agency explained that a paramedic from Ascension Island developed symptoms after coming into contact with a person who showed symptoms of the Hanta virus, and he is already receiving treatment in Britain.
About 20 passengers from the MV Hondius cruise ship, where the outbreak began in April, are already being monitored in Britain, after they were returned by air from the Canary Islands last Sunday.
A statement issued by the British Health Security Agency on Saturday stated that eight of them had already left Arrowe Park Hospital, where they were in quarantine, and would isolate themselves at home for the next 45 days.
The ship, operated by the Dutch company Oceanwide Expeditions, made headlines after three passengers died as a result of infection with the rare Hanta virus, for which there are no vaccines or specific treatments.