With two cruise ship passengers linked to the hantavirus outbreak inside South Africa’s borders, the health department has moved to assure citizens it is taking steps to prevent the disease spreading.
Six people aboard the Dutch-registered MV Hondius, travelling from southern Argentina to the Canary Islands via Cape Verde, are believed to have contracted the virus. Three people have died while three are receiving treatment.
Health department spokesperson Foster Mohale said the ship, carrying about 150 people from different countries, had departed Ushuaia in Argentina about three weeks ago. En route to its destination, the ship went past several islands, including mainland Antarctica, Falklands, South Georgia, Nightingale Island, Tristan, St Helena and Ascension.
“While the ship was travelling past South African shores, some passengers experienced serious health complications arising from what was initially considered severe acute respiratory infections.
“The first patient was a 70-year-old male passenger who suddenly became ill on the ship en route from Ushuaia to St Helena Island, and presented with fever, headache, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Unfortunately he passed away on arrival at St Helena Island. His mortal remains are in St Helena, awaiting repatriation to the Netherlands.
“The second affected passenger was a 69-year-old female, the spouse of the first patient, who collapsed at the OR Tambo International Airport [in Johannesburg] while trying to connect to a flight to her home country of the Netherlands. She was taken to a nearby health facility around Kempton Park for medical attention and unfortunately passed away. Laboratory test results for the patient are outstanding.
“The third patient, a British national, became ill while the ship was travelling from St Helena to Ascension. Despite medical treatment provided to him at Ascension, his condition did not improve and necessitated his medical evacuation to a South African private health facility in Sandton for further medical management. His laboratory test results came back positive for hantavirus, a rare but potentially deadly virus transmitted primarily by rodents. The patient is in critical condition in isolation receiving medical attention.”
The death of a third person was confirmed by the ship’s operator Oceanwide Expeditions. The body is on the vessel, which is berthed off Cape Verde.
The company said Dutch authorities have agreed to lead a joint effort in organising the repatriation of the two symptomatic individuals, who are crew members on board the Hondius, from Cape Verde to the Netherlands.
“The body of the deceased individual is also planned to be included in the repatriation, along with a guest closely associated with the deceased. This individual is not symptomatic.”
The company said the timing of the repatriation “depends on many factors, including the authorisation and support of Cape Verdean health authorities for the transfer of individuals requiring medical attention from Hondius”.
No one had been allowed to disembark from the ship.
The World Health Organization is co-ordinating a multi-country response with all affected islands and countries to contain the disease.
Mohale said the health department is working with the National Institute for Communicable Diseases and Gauteng government to conduct contact tracing to stop potential spread of the virus by identifying and monitoring individuals who may have been exposed to the infected people.
He said: “In our view, there is no need for the public to panic because only two patients from the cruise ship have been within our borders.”
TimesLIVE
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