A French woman who was on the rat virus cruise ship has been confirmed to have fallen ill with the disease, and her condition is 'deteriorating,' health officials have said.
French Health Minister Stephanie Rist said the woman was among five French passengers on board. The other four tested negative but will be re-tested and monitored, she said.
French authorities have traced 22 contacts of those on board.
"What is key, is to act at the start and break the virus transmission chains," Ms Rist said.
Hospitals run out of oxygen and mortuaries full amid NHS chaos
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu will hold a meeting on the hantavirus crisis later today.
The World Health Organisation has recommended, but not mandated, a 42-day quarantine for passengers once they have returned home alongside “active follow-up”, including daily checks for symptoms such as fever.
Around 150 passengers and crew have begun flying back from Spain’s Canary Islands on military and government aircraft, with 22 British passengers arriving in Merseyside on Sunday.
The isolation period can be carried out either at a staffed facility or at home.
In the UK, the NHS said returning passengers will undergo medical checks at Arrowe Park Hospital near Liverpool.
They are expected to remain there for an initial 72 hours, with longer-term isolation arrangements then assessed.
Meanwhile, other countries have imposed tougher restrictions.
France said all of its evacuees — including one person now showing symptoms — have been placed in strict isolation until further notice.
The French Prime Minister said a decree would be issued to authorise measures needed to protect the public.
In Greece, a male evacuee is being held in mandatory 45-day hospital quarantine in Athens.
Mystic Mag's 2023 predictions include strikes, sleaze, self pity and separation
Officials said he would be treated in a specially prepared negative-pressure chamber at Attikon University Hospital.
So far, three passengers — a Dutch husband and wife and a German woman — have died, while a small number of others have fallen ill.
Despite that, officials insist the wider risk remains low.
“This is not another Covid,” Tedros said.
“The risk to the public is low. People should not be scared, and they should not panic.”
In the UK, evacuated passengers have spent their first night at an isolation facility after being repatriated from Tenerife.
A chartered Titan Airways flight transported the passengers from the Canary Islands to Manchester Airport on Sunday evening.
Twenty British passengers, who were tested for hantavirus before getting on the flight, were taken to isolate at the UK’s initial Covid quarantine site at Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral, Merseyside.
One German national, who is a UK resident, and one Japanese passenger from the MV Hondius cruise ship are also being monitored at Arrowe Park.
The UK Government took the Japanese passenger at the request of the Tokyo government and they will complete their isolation in the UK in line with UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) guidance.
Strict infection control measures were in place throughout the journey to Arrowe Park, with passengers, crew, drivers and medical teams all wearing personal protective equipment such as face masks.
Editor-in-Chief
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
