- Ten Britons from the UK overseas territories of St Helena and Ascension Island, linked to a hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship, are being relocated to the UK for precautionary self-isolation and access to specialist medical services.
- Twenty British nationals, a German UK resident, and a Japanese passenger from the MV Hondius cruise ship are completing a three-day assessment at Arrowe Park Hospital before continuing a 42-day isolation period, with tailored support for home isolation where safe.
- The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said that none of the relocated individuals are currently symptomatic, and this measure is to support communities in the UK overseas territories by providing access to England’s NHS high-consequence infectious disease network.
- The World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, commended Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez for allowing the ship to dock in Tenerife, emphasising it would have been “inhumane” to keep passengers, some experiencing mental breakdown, on board.
- Globally, 11 hantavirus cases have been reported among cruise ship passengers (9 confirmed, 2 probable), resulting in three deaths, with ongoing monitoring for potential new cases due to the virus's long incubation period.
IN FULL
