MV Hondius passengers return to Australia under strict infection control measures

The Australian Centre for Disease Control (CDC) has provided an update on the infection protection and control measures in place for the flight, arrival, transfer and quarantine of MV Hondius passengers, and advised that the risk of hantavirus to the Australian population “remains low”.

Infection protection and control measures will be “strict” for the returning passengers, the Australian CDC said, with the passengers on their way back to Australia consisting of four Australian citizens, one permanent Australian resident and one New Zealand citizen.

“Multiple agencies across the Australian Government and state and territory governments have been working together to coordinate arrival, health, transport and quarantine arrangements,” the Australian CDC said.

“After they land at RAAF Base Pearce, the passengers will be transferred to the nearby Bullsbrook Centre for National Resilience for at least the first 3 weeks of their quarantine.

“The full quarantine period will be 42 days (6 weeks) from the day they disembarked — arrangements for the remainder of quarantine period are being finalised,” the Australian CDC said.

The situation will be regularly reviewed and health authorities will monitor passengers, including daily symptom checks, during the quarantine period, the Australian CDC added.

Regarding the Australian CDC advice this week that current risk of hantavirus infection to people in Australia remains low, the Australian CDC noted that the public health, biosecurity and surveillance systems in place to protect the Australian community are strong.

The Australian CDC also advised: “The Andes virus — the virus that is affecting the people who were on the cruise ship — is the only hantavirus that is known to transmit between people. Transmission of the Andes virus requires close, prolonged contact with someone who is unwell, such as living together.

“Andes virus infection has been added as a listed human disease under the Biosecurity Act 2015,” the Australian CDC added. “This means the Australian Government can implement national measures to stop its spread, if required, including requiring quarantine of the passengers.

“We will continue to provide updates as circumstances change.”

More information is available on the Australian CDC website, including its latest situation report on the Atlantic Ocean cruise ship hantavirus infection, published 14 May.

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