Twenty-Two from Hantavirus Cruise Ship to Leave Liverpool Hospital After Isolation

Twenty-two people evacuated from a cruise ship after a hantavirus outbreak will begin leaving a Liverpool hospital where they have isolated since returning to the UK.

The passengers and crew from the MV Hondius completed 72 hours of isolation at Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside. They now face another 42 days of isolation at home.

Ten other passengers and crew are traveling to the UK from the British territories of Saint Helena and Ascension Islands as a precaution.

The UKHSA said the move follows because the NHS in England stands well equipped to respond if they become unwell.

Public health and infectious disease specialists will evaluate whether the individuals can self-isolate at home or need another location.

"We want to reassure both passengers and the wider public that robust arrangements are in place, and that everyone involved will be looked after every step of the way," May said.

Three people have died since the outbreak, with two confirmed to have had the virus. Those deaths include an elderly Dutch man who died before testing, his wife and a German woman.

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Tuesday that there is no sign of a larger outbreak starting, but work to contain it continues since more cases remain possible.

The Dutch MV Hondius carried 87 passengers and 60 crew when it docked in Spain's Canary Islands last week, according to operator Oceanwide Expeditions.

Two British nationals returned home on repatriation flights to the US, while another heads to Australia, the UKHSA said.

Two other British nationals confirmed with hantavirus receive treatment in the Netherlands and South Africa.

A British man with suspected hantavirus on Tristan da Cunha remains in stable condition and isolation.

Two more Britons continue voluntary self-isolation at home in the UK after disembarking the vessel at St Helena on April 24 with dozens of other passengers, before the first hantavirus case surfaced.

The MV Hondius started its journey April 1 from Ushuaia, Argentina, with about 150 passengers and crew from 28 countries.

Oceanwide Expeditions said Monday that all guests still aboard when the outbreak was confirmed have returned to their home countries.