Hantavirus cruise ship latest: Third Briton has suspected hantavirus, health chiefs warnnewsline24

A Dutch KLM flight attendant who had been in contact with a woman who died from a hantavirus infection in Johannesburg had tested negative, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said.

The woman had been admitted to a hospital ‌in Amsterdam ​on Thursday ‌with signs ⁠of ⁠a possible infection.

• Fever
• Extreme fatigue
• Muscle aches
• Stomach pain
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Shortness of breath
• Symptoms usually appear between 2 to 4 weeks after being exposed to the virus, but there are reports of symptoms occurring up to 40 days after exposure.

There is currently no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for hantavirus infections.

Treatment is supportive and based on symptoms, such as hospital care and respiratory support for breathing difficulties.

There are two confirmed cases in British nationals. One is a 69-year-old man, who was taken to South Africa on 27 April and is receiving care in Johannesburg.

The other is Martin Anstee, 56, who was an expedition guide on board the MV Hondius. He was taken off the ship on Wednesday and flown to the Netherlands, where he is receiving care.

There is also now a third suspected case of hantavirus reported on the remote island area of Tristan da Cunha, in Saint Helena, where passengers on the cruise ship has disembarked last month.

Two Britons who returned to the UK independently before being aware of the hantavirus outbreak, are self-isolating at home.

Health chiefs are also aware of seven British nationals who disembarked the ship at St Helena on 24 April.

Four of these individuals remain in St Helena. A seventh individual has been traced outside of the UK in Tristan da Cunha.

Health chiefs are aware of seven British nationals who disembarked the ship at St Helena on 24 April.

Four of these individuals remain in St Helena. A seventh individual has been traced outside of the UK in Tristan da Cunha.

Two of those people have returned to the UK independently and are isolating at home in the UK, but are not showing any symptoms.

They are receiving advice and support from UKHSA and have been advised to self-isolate.

Professor Robin May, Chief Scientific Officer at UKHSA, said:“This is an evolving situation, and we are working closely with partners to support British Nationals on board the MV Hondius.

“The risk to the general population remains very low and the public can be reassured that established infection control measures will be put in place at every step of the journey to ensure the safe repatriation of British passengers on board.”

The ship is expected to dock in Tenerife on Sunday, according to the latest updates from the Spanish Health Ministry.

UK government staff will be on the ground ready to support the British nationals disembarking, UKHSA has said.

British Passengers and ship crew not displaying any symptoms of Hantavirus will be escorted by UK Government staff to an airport and given free passage back to the UK.

But all Britons will be required to isolate for 45 days.

A third British national has suspected hantavirus on the remote island area of Tristan da Cunha, the UK Health Security Agency said.

Two British nationals have confirmed hantavirus, with an additional suspected case of a British national on Tristan da Cunha.

None of the British citizens onboard are currently reporting symptoms but they are being closely monitored.

As the world continues to monitor an outbreak of deadly hantavirus on a Dutch cruise ship off the West African coast, many on social media have wondered if the rare, rodent-borne illness could trigger the next global pandemic and reinstate Covid-era lockdowns.

Researchers are tracing passengers who were potentially exposed to the virus in Georgia, California, Arizona, Virginia and Texas and in other countries around the world.

But experts still say there is little reason to believe hantavirus – and even this rare strain – will spread widely.

Two Indian crew members are among 149 people aboard the expedition ship MV Hondius, where a hantavirus outbreak has killed three passengers and infected eight others.

WHO has said that none of the passengers or crew currently on board are symptomatic, but warned more cases may be identified given the incubation period of the virus, which can be up to six weeks, but said the public health risk is low.