22 Cruise Passengers Arrive at UK Hospital After Hantavirus Outbreak

Twenty-two passengers from the MV Hondius cruise ship, including 20 British nationals, a German UK resident and a Japanese national, arrived at Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral on Sunday evening after the vessel docked in Tenerife amid a hantavirus outbreak.

The group, repatriated via a chartered flight from Tenerife South Airport, underwent strict infection control measures during transfer, with all involved wearing personal protective equipment such as face masks. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed on Monday that clinical assessments and testing were underway at the hospital, where the passengers will remain for 72 hours before transitioning to self-isolation for up to 45 days at home or alternative accommodation if needed. UKHSA teams will provide daily monitoring, including symptom checks, temperature tracking, virus and antibody testing, and emotional support.

None of the arrivals displayed symptoms, officials emphasized, and hospital services continue uninterrupted. Janelle Holmes, chief executive of Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, stated that welfare checks would be conducted on each individual, adding, "There's nobody being...