Two Britons self-isolating in UK after being on hantavirus cruise ship

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Two Britons self-isolating in UK after being on hantavirus cruise shipJust now Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleAlex KleidermanandElla KiplingGetty ImagesPassengers onboard the MV Hondius have been stranded off Cape Verde due to a hantavirus outbreakTwo British people are self-isolating at home in the UK after potential exposure to hantavirus on the cruise ship struck by an outbreak, the UK Health Security Agency has said. They were on the MV Hondius cruise ship that departed from Argentina a month ago but left the vessel earlier in its journey and did not have symptoms. The Britons left the cruise ship at St Helena, where it docked on 22-24 April, and flew back to the UK via Johannesburg.

The pair then contacted health officials when they heard of the cases on the ship. The UKHSA said their contacts on the journey home are being traced, adding the risk to the general public remains very low. Three passengers have died on the MV Hondius following the hantavirus outbreak.

The Details

Spanish authorities have given permission for the ship to dock in the Canary Islands, despite concerns from local officials. About 150 people are still aboard the cruise ship under "strict precautionary measures", Oceanwide Expeditions has said. They include 19 passengers and four crew members listed as British, according to figures released by Oceanwide Expeditions on Tuesday.

One of these, a 56-year-old British man, was among three people evacuated from the ship on Wednesday and is in a "stable condition". Spain's health minister earlier said he was a doctor but it is understood that was not correct. The UKHSA said the Britons on the ship would be flown home on a charter flight, probably from the Canary Islands as long as they did not have symptoms.

They would then also have to self-isolate or be put into quarantine potentially for up to six weeks, depending on the timing of their last potential exposure to the virus. The World Health Organization says the risk to the wider public is low and the virus rarely spreads through human to human transmission and only after close contact. Earlier, the Foreign Office has said it is "working urgently" to get British nationals stuck on board the MV Hondius home safely.

What Experts Say

In a statement, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the situation was "very serious and deeply stressful for those affected and their families". The three people with symptoms were evacuated from the vessel to receive medical help in the Netherlands on Wednesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) said. These include the 56-year-old Briton, a 41-year-old Dutch crew member and a 65-year-old German.

It is still unknown where the outbreak originated from and if people other than cruise ship passengers have been infected with the disease. The Foreign Office said the UK response to the outbreak was being led by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) working with the WHO.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.