A Brit is missing after leaving the infected ship early and now officials want to find them as a matter of urgency
A Brit is being hunted after leaving the rat virus ship early – and health officials are desperate to find them. A total of seven UK nationals departed from the infected MV Hondius in the remote island of St Helena as one remains uncontacted.
Health officials have not revealed whether they are searching for a man or a woman, but have confirmed the person is a Brit who has not yet returned to the UK. A spokesperson for the UK Health Security Agency said: “We are aware of seven British Nationals who disembarked the ship at St Helena on April 24.
“Two of these individuals are now self-isolating in the UK while the others have not yet returned. Four of these individuals remain in St Helena and we are in touch with the relevant health officials to provide advice on contact management.
“Tracing efforts are ongoing for the seventh individual, who we know has not yet returned to the UK.” The cruise company confirmed that 29 passengers had left the cruise early and not re-embarked on April 24, and at this time there were not concerns about the virus spreading.
The people were from 12 different countries and now two passengers have been confirmed to be isolating in Singapore as well as one Danish passenger.
A further two Brits in the UK, plus a Swiss man receiving treatment in Zurich and three people, including a Brit crew member, have been medically evacuated to the Netherlands amid fears of the disease spreading around the globe.
A Dutch man, died on April 11 from the illness and his wife then disembarked in St Helena and flew to Johannesburg.
A French case of the virus – the first that is not a cruise ship passenger, has been linked to the Dutch woman’s flight from St Helena to Johannesburg.
She reportedly tried to then get to Amsterdam from Johannesburg on a KLM flight, but was removed and denied flight before take off because of her deteriorating health.
The woman later died of hantavirus in a Johannesburg hospital and a KLM air hostess has been hospitalised in Amsterdam with the virus. The infected air stewardess brings known cases up to nine.
A total of three people – the married Dutch couple and a German national – have already died from the virus.
Around 145 passengers are still left on board as the ship now sails on towards the Canary Islands, with health plans being put in place for those still aboard.
It has been suggested by UK Health Security Agency chiefs that Brit passengers with no symptoms will be ordered to self isolate for 45 days once they return home.
Professor Robin May, chief scientific officer at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) says plans are being put in place for when the ship docks.
A Brit crew member with the virus was medically evacuated from the infected ship yesterday.
He has been named as Martin Anstee, 56, a former police officer who was working as an expedition leader on the ship.
He has been described as being in a “serious but stable” condition and spoke from his hospital bed, telling Sky News : “I’m doing OK. I’m not feeling too bad.”