Six passengers from the hantavirus-hit MV Hondius cruise ship have been released from a Perth quarantine facility after 42 days in isolation. The group, consisting of four Australian citizens, one permanent resident, and one New Zealander, left the Bullsbrook facility in the early hours of the morning and boarded flights from Perth Airport to return to their home states.
Health officials confirmed that all six passengers remain well and have consistently tested negative for the hantavirus. The quarantine period was calculated from May 12, when the passengers disembarked the MV Hondius in the Canary Islands, considered day zero. The Australian government assisted with transport to the airport and arranged flights for the passengers.
The MV Hondius was on a cruise bound for Antarctica when a hantavirus outbreak occurred in April, ultimately killing three people. The passengers arrived in Perth on May 15 and were housed at a centre originally built for COVID-19 patients.
Australian passenger Peter Marsh, 82, spoke exclusively to the ABC from inside the quarantine centre. He described the first part of the trip as wonderful, visiting South Georgia, Tristan da Cunha, St Helena, and Ascension Island. Despite the quarantine, he said he would 'absolutely' do it again, noting that the pleasure of the boat trip outweighed the inconvenience.
Marsh emphasized the importance of accepting unexpected events and said daily walks and birdwatching helped break up the long quarantine. He looked forward to reuniting with his wife of 57 years, children, and grandchildren.
