AN American citizen is in isolation on Pitcairn Island, after being identified as a contact of someone exposed to Hantavirus aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship., authorities confirmed on May 16.
The woman, who is asymptomatic and shows no signs of illness, is being held under a precautionary quarantine overseen by the United Kingdom government which administers the territory.
Pitcairn officials said the measure is designed to protect the island’s tiny population of approximately 50 residents from the Andes strain of hantavirus, which has already claimed three lives globally.
According to officials, the woman reached Pitcairn via Tahiti and Mangareva without disclosing her potential exposure to French Polynesian authorities. Pitcairn is accessible only by a 32-hour cargo ship journey from Mangareva and has extremely limited medical infrastructure, with the nearest hospitals thousands of kilometres away in French Polynesia or New Zealand.
“We can confirm that someone who had contact with a hantavirus-exposed individual is currently isolating on Pitcairn Island, showing no signs of illness,” a government spokesman said.
“The wellbeing of our community remains the top priority.”
The MV Hondius outbreak began after likely rodent exposure in southern Argentina, spreading among close contacts during an Antarctic voyage. Eleven cases, including three deaths, have been linked to the Andes strain – the only hantavirus known to spread between people, though transmission requires close, prolonged contact.
Parallel quarantine measures are underway in Australia and the United Kingdom for other passengers. Health agencies stress that public risk remains low.
Source: msn.com
