health
Two Britons evacuated from hantavirus-hit ship ‘improving’ in hospital
Man, 69, is in intensive care in Johannesburg, while expedition guide Martin Anstee, 56, receiving care in Netherlands
TL;DR
- Two Britons evacuated from the hantavirus-hit MV Hondius are improving in hospitals in South Africa and the Netherlands.
- The ship, linked to an outbreak of Andes virus (a variant of hantavirus) and three deaths, is heading to Tenerife.
- Health officials from WHO and ECDC are on board assessing passengers and crew.
- There are eight suspected cases, with five confirmed as hantavirus.
- The public health risk is assessed as low, but more cases are possible due to the virus's incubation period of up to six weeks.
- British passengers who disembarked are being contacted, and those remaining on board will be repatriated after a period of self-isolation.