International alert issued following hantavirus cases: 2 people in quarantine in Singapore

Two people who were on the Dutch-flagged passenger ship MV Hondius, where deaths linked to hantavirus occurred while it was traveling from Argentina to Cabo Verde in West Africa, have been quarantined at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) in Singapore on suspicion of carrying the virus.

In a statement issued by the NCID, it was stated, "Test results are pending. One individual is showing symptoms of a cold but is in good general condition, while the other is asymptomatic. The risk to public health across Singapore is currently at a low level."

The NCID reported that these individuals left the ship and were on a flight from Saint Helena to Johannesburg, South Africa, on April 25, noting that the same flight also carried the woman who had disembarked from the ship and passed away due to hantavirus at a hospital in Johannesburg on April 26. The NCID announced that one of the individuals arrived in Singapore on May 2, and the other on May 6.

The NCID stated that if the tests return negative, the two individuals' quarantine period will continue for 30 days, adding, "The test will be repeated before release from quarantine, and follow-up by phone will begin for 45 days."

A CABIN CREW MEMBER IN QUARANTINE IN THE NETHERLANDS

A cabin crew member working for the Netherlands-based airline KLM was placed under quarantine in the Netherlands due to contact with the woman who was the wife of the first person to die from the virus on the ship, and who passed away after her flight from the ship to Johannesburg, South Africa. It was stated that the cabin crew member is currently showing mild symptoms.

In a statement, KLM reported that the woman in question was on the flight from Johannesburg to the Netherlands on April 25 for a "short time," but was removed from the plane before takeoff.

PASSENGERS ON THE JOHANNESBURG FLIGHT ARE BEING SOUGHT

Efforts are underway to contact the 82 passengers and 6 crew members who were on the South Africa-based Airlink flight taken by the woman who passed away in Johannesburg.

3 PEOPLE DIED ON THE SHIP

The ship, which set sail from Argentina on April 1 and reached the waters off Cape Verde on May 3, had 88 passengers and 59 crew members from 23 countries on board. So far, the virus has been detected in 7 people on the ship, and 3 people have lost their lives.

The first case, a Dutch male passenger, died on the ship on April 11, and his body remained on the ship until April 24. Subsequently, his wife was taken ashore in Saint Helena along with the body. The woman, who showed mild symptoms during the evacuation, flew to Johannesburg, South Africa. The woman, who was not allowed to board the plane to the Netherlands, passed away a day later on April 26 at the hospital where she had been admitted. One German citizen on the ship lost their life on May 2.

The ship is planned to dock at the Port of Tenerife in the Canary Islands, Spain, and foreign passengers are planned to be sent to their own countries from there, provided their health conditions permit. So far, 3 people have been evacuated from the ship and transferred to the Netherlands.

News Source: İHA