Six from hantavirus cruise ship leave Arrowe Park hospital to isolate at home

"Six people who were on the cruise ship linked to an outbreak of hantavirus have left Arrowe Park hospital in Wirral to isolate at home, health officials have said. Passengers from the MV Hondius were taken to the Merseyside facility for checks by specialists. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said public health and clinical specialists have assessed each person's circumstances, and after their latest negative test they are being allowed to continue their 45-day isolation at home."

"It said there are appropriate public health protections in place at every stage of the journey for those leaving the facility. Health protection teams across the UK will continue to monitor and support everyone after they leave the hospital through daily contact, it added. The UKHSA said all those at Arrowe Park remain asymptomatic. The agency praised the incredible demonstration of international efforts to contain the outbreak."

"The UKHSA said a medic on Ascension Island in the South Atlantic has developed symptoms but has tested negative. Further tests are being carried out to establish whether this is an unrelated illness. On Tuesday, it was announced that 10 Britons from South Atlantic islands connected to the cruise ship outbreak are to be brought to the UK in case they develop the illness."

"The group, thought to be residents of the British overseas territories of St Helena and Ascension, are being brought to the UK to complete their self-isolation as a precautionary measure, the UKHSA said. Professor Robin May, chief scientific officer at the UKHSA, said: Our teams are working closely with FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) colleagues and leaders on Ascension Island to repatriate British nationals who are currently isolating on the island."

Six people connected to a hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius left Arrowe Park hospital in Wirral to isolate at home. Health officials said public health and clinical specialists assessed each person’s circumstances and, after the latest negative test, they were allowed to continue a 45-day isolation period at home. UKHSA said appropriate public health protections were in place throughout the journey and that health protection teams across the UK will monitor and support everyone after discharge through daily contact. All people remaining at Arrowe Park were described as asymptomatic. UKHSA also reported a medic on Ascension Island with symptoms who tested negative, with further tests underway to determine whether the illness is unrelated. Ten Britons from South Atlantic islands connected to the cruise ship outbreak were to be brought to the UK to complete precautionary self-isolation.

Read at www.theguardian.com