Dutch health officials confirm that all 26 passengers from the hantavirus-hit cruise ship MV Hondius who arrived in the Netherlands on repatriation flights have now tested negative for the virus.
The last group touched down at Eindhoven Air Base on Tuesday, arriving in the early hours of the morning.
Upon arrival, they were screened and tested by the GGD (municipal health service), with samples sent to both the RIVM and the Erasmus MC for laboratory analysis. As reported by the RIVM, all results came back clear.
Their ordeal isn’t quite over yet
All repatriated passengers currently face a mandatory six-week home quarantine, regardless of their test result.
READ MORE | Hantavirus in the Netherlands: what is it, who’s at risk, and how to stay safe [UPDATED]
The RIVM explains that the quarantine period is standard due to the nature of the Andean virus and the time it can take for symptoms to develop.
As of May 15, three people died in the hantavirus outbreak on board the Hondius, and contact tracing has been ongoing in the Netherlands.
Both the RIVM and the WHO have reiterated that the risk of a wider outbreak is very low, as the Andean variant does not naturally occur outside the Americas and only spreads between people in very rare circumstances.
Dig what you’re reading? Get more of it! Join our WhatsApp channel or Instagram broadcast to get the latest news straight to your pocket.
Image: Stefan Brending/Wikimedia Commons/CC3.0
