1 week ago
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A CRUISE passenger from the infected MV Hondius visited a school on the world’s most remote island, it has emerged.
It was part of a visit from the rat virus ship to Tristan da Cunha that risked crew and passengers carrying the deadly disease to the tiny territory.
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It comes as a third suspected British case of hantavirus was revealed to be on Tristan da Cunha by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
The suspected case is a British national who lived on Tristan, and was brought ashore by the rat virus cruise ship, the UKHSA told The Sun.
MV Hondius stopped off the coast of Tristan da Cunha on April 14, three days after the first passenger had died of hantavirus.
Fears are growing that the deadly disease could spread on the remote British territory after a Dutch passenger called Joep visited St Mary’s school on the island, where he showed children a video.
It comes as…
- A third British case is suspected on a remote island
- The hunt is on for Brit who disembarked with dead passenger
- Brit crew member speaks out from hospital isolation
- Two Brits passengers self-isolating at home in UK
- Investigators think the virus was caught on a bird-watching trip
Widely considered the world’s most remote inhabited island, Tristan da Cunha has just over 200 inhabitants who rely on ships travelling from South Africa for food and fuel supplies.
When the MV Hondius visited, locals boarded the ship and several passengers came ashore, according to a local blog.
The Dutch man was joined by a cruise ship crew members who also spoke to the local children.
Pictures show cruise ship passengers and locals mixing, after one passenger had already died of the virus.
The local report said cruise ship visitors even crammed into the local pub, writing: “Visitors spent the day ashore making the most of everything on offer.
“There was a great buzz around the settlement, with guests heading off on guided walks, exploring at their own pace, visiting the museum, and enjoying all the open venues.
“The pub, as always, was a firm favourite, full of laughter and stories being shared from their journey.”
Island guides Barry Thacker and Philip Kendall were pictured visiting the infected MV Hondius, unaware that they could be picking up a deadly disease in the process.
It is not known if either the Dutch woman who later died of hantavirus in South Africa, or the British crew member being treated in the Netherlands, visited Tristan or mixed with locals.
A total of seven British nationals disembarked the infected MV Hondius on the remote island of St Helena on April 24.
But the UK Health Security Agency told The Sun that the British suspected case on Tristan da Cunha is not one of those seven people.
The hantavirus-infected MV Hondius is now steaming towards the Canary Islands where it is due to arrive in Granadilla, Tenerife on Sunday.
After local workers threatened to blockade the port, the ship won’t dock, but will anchor nearby passengers will be evacuated using small boats.
And the race to track down dozens of passengers who left the cruise ship in St Helena before the outbreak was detected.
Two are now self-isolating in the UK but the others have not yet returned.
A spokesperson for the UK Health Security Agency told The Sun yesterday: “Four of these individuals remain in St Helena and we are in touch with the relevant health officials to provide advice on contact management.
At least 22 others also disembarked the MV Hondius early, with many flying home across the world on commercial flights, unaware that they might be infected.
“Tracing efforts are ongoing for the seventh individual, who we know has not yet returned to the UK.”
The seventh individual is not the same person as the suspected hantavirus case on Tristan da Cunha.
A statement from the Tristan da Cunha Administrator Philip Kendall said the infections on the MV Hondius were “of serious concern to the island”.
The Sun contacted the Tristan da Cunha administrator for comment.
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