A British man who fell seriously ill after being exposed to hantavirus on a cruise ship had described the voyage as a 'trip of a lifetime' before setting off. Martin Anstee, a 56-year-old retired police officer, is currently in isolation in a Netherlands hospital after being evacuated from the MV Hondius on Wednesday.
He was among three individuals taken from the ship in a medical evacuation and flown to the Netherlands. They had been waiting days to be removed from the vessel, which has been linked to three deaths following a suspected hantavirus outbreak.
Background on the Outbreak
The cruise liner operator reported that 30 passengers disembarked the MV Hondius on St Helena on April 24, after the first guest death on board. Among those who left were seven Brits, but only two Brits who left the boat are currently said to be in isolation back in the UK. Authorities in South Africa and Europe are now trying to trace contacts of any passengers who got off the ship.
Tragedy first struck on the MV Hondius when a 69-year-old Dutch man died on April 11. His wife, also 69, and his body were disembarked at St Helena on April 24. Tragically, his wife then became unwell from hantavirus after flying to South Africa and died on April 25. After her death, a Dutch woman was taken to hospital in Amsterdam, showing possible symptoms of a hantavirus infection. She had been a flight attendant on KLM and had been in contact with the woman who died in Johannesburg. She has mild symptoms and is being tested while in isolation. The third passenger, a German national, died on May 2.
Martin Anstee's Condition
Former police officer Martin Anstee is also being treated in Amsterdam. He was part of the guide team on the 'incredible trip' which started on April 1 from Argentina. The guide was keen to photograph wildlife with passengers on Tristan da Cunha, St Helena, and the Cape Verde islands. He said: 'I will be part of the guide team on this incredible trip…It is one of the most fascinating trips you can be involved in. It really is the trip of a lifetime.'
But he was struck down and ended up seriously ill after three people died on the ship, which set sail from Argentina a month ago, following the hantavirus outbreak. Martin was among three people evacuated from the ship on Wednesday to the Netherlands for treatment, operator Oceanwide Expeditions said. Prof Robin May, chief scientific officer at the UKHSA, told BBC Breakfast it was his understanding that 'he is doing well.'
Dad Martin told Sky News: 'I'm doing okay. I'm not feeling too bad. There are still lots of tests to be done. I have no idea how long I’ll be in the hospital for. I'm in isolation at the moment.' He said that the day after tomorrow, his doctors should have a clearer picture and regarding symptoms, he added: 'I can't say any more than at the moment.'
Investigation and Response
The authorities in Argentina are looking at the theory that the Dutch couple who first died had been infected by the hantavirus during a bird-watching trip near the port where the boat was docked. They are said to have visited a landfill site in the city of Ushuaia where it is feared infected rats may have been.
Jake Rosmarin, a US travel blogger, updated his followers announcing 'Great news. En route to the Canary Islands.' He said when they get to the Canary Islands they 'hope to eventually have access to the testing and medical care needed before eventually returning home.' He also wanted to correct some misinformation circulating online. 'This is not a traditional cruise ship but an expedition vessel with approximately 150 people onboard, including both passengers and crew. These vessels operate in the polar regions and other environmentally sensitive areas that require extremely high cleaning standards and strict biosecurity protocols.'
'Claims that this vessel is dirty or poorly maintained are simply not true. Other than the two unwell passengers already referenced publicly and now evacuated, everyone else onboard is doing well and remains in good spirits. At the end of the day, we are all just people who want to stay safe and eventually return home to our families.'
People in at least three US states are being monitored for potential hantavirus infections, according to reports. The New York Times reported none has shown signs of illness, and that Georgia is monitoring two residents and California an undisclosed number.
