The Australian government says it will place six passengers from a cruise ship linked to a hantavirus outbreak into a specialised quarantine facility near Perth for at least three weeks as authorities intensify efforts to prevent possible transmission of the disease.
The passengers — four Australian citizens, one Australian permanent resident and one New Zealander — are expected to be housed at the 500-bed Bullsbrook quarantine centre in Western Australia, a facility originally constructed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking at a press conference, Australian Health Minister Mark Butler said repatriation flights from Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands were still being arranged as part of what he described as a “complex” operation.
According to Butler, Australia will formally list hantavirus under the country’s biosecurity legislation, allowing authorities to enforce mandatory quarantine measures for the returning passengers.
“The six people will be transferred immediately to that quarantine facility directly next door to the RAAF base,” Butler said.
Officials confirmed that none of the six passengers has shown symptoms of hantavirus infection so far.
However, Butler noted that the virus has an incubation period of up to 42 days, adding that authorities are yet to decide what measures will follow after the initial three-week quarantine period.
He said Australia was adopting a stricter approach than some other countries, which have reportedly required cruise ship passengers to quarantine for only a few days before continuing isolation at home.
According to the minister, the decision was influenced by concerns surrounding the long repatriation flight from Tenerife on a relatively small aircraft, which could increase the risk of transmission.
Health authorities continue to monitor the situation closely as international efforts intensify to contain the outbreak linked to the cruise ship.
