Six passengers evacuated from the hantavirus-infected MV Hondius cruise ship have touched down in Australia, where they will spend at least three weeks in quarantine.
The repatriation flight, which departed from the Netherlands on Thursday, landed at RAAF Base Pearce, northeast of Perth in WA’s capital, about 11am AWST on Friday.
Four Australian citizens, one permanent resident and one New Zealand citizen have been taken to the $400 million Centre for National Resilience in Bullsbrook to be monitored.
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They wore protective gear when departing the base in a van and are now preparing for their first night in isolation.
“The passengers, I’m pleased to say, remain in good health,” Health Minister Mark Butler said on Friday, adding they did not show symptoms during the flight or once they touched down, and have tested negative for the disease.
“They were subject to an initial health assessment upon landing, although they were also subject to ongoing assessment by a doctor on the plane for the entire flight.”
PCR tests taken in Perth will be processed in Melbourne and the results should be turned around within 24 hours.
Authorities consider it “low risk” that one of the group does return a positive result, but Butler said “there are hospitals in the Perth metropolitan area that have the facilities to deal with a case like that”.
Six passengers from a virus-affected cruise ship have landed in Australia. Credit: 7NEWS The repatriation flight touched down about 11am in WA. Credit: 7NEWS The evacuated group will remain in quarantine for at least three weeks, and be monitored closely.
A review during their stay will “determine what arrangements will be put in place beyond that time”.
The flight crew will also reportedly quarantine at the facility.
Health experts have flown in from the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre in Darwin to track the group of six’s progress.
“I want to stress this is one of the strongest quarantine arrangements for passengers being repatriated from this cruise ship you’ll find anywhere in the world,” Butler said.
“Most countries where passengers are being repatriated, countries like the US, the UK, most European countries, are quarantining in a central place, whether that’s a centre or a hospital.
“They’re (isolating) passengers for two or three days and then allowing those passengers to return home.
“We have taken the decision to take a stronger approach to quarantine arrangements than that because we are determined to ensure there is no risk at all of any transmission of this virus into the Australian community.”
The 500-bed quarantine facility in Perth. Credit: Department of Finance Medical experts from Darwin have been flown in to monitor the six cruise ship passengers. Credit: Simon Hydzik/7NEWS Five Australians were travelling on the virus-hit cruise ship. Credit: 7NEWS The 500-bed quarantine facility in Bullsbrook has largely sat empty since it was built during the COVID-19 pandemic, but was established “for exactly this sort of case”.
“They have Wi-Fi, they have television, they have balconies,” Butler said.
“Obviously I’m sure these passengers would prefer to be home.
“I thank them for their co-operation right through this very difficult ordeal for them.
“They’ve spent weeks on this cruise ship, they’ve spent time in the Netherlands in quarantine and they’re now going to spend three weeks at this facility.”
There have been 11 confirmed hantavirus cases — including three deaths — from the cluster reported on the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius, according to the World Health Organization.