Australia has extended the quarantine period for six passengers affected by a hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship to June 23, increasing the isolation time to 42 days in total. The group includes four Australian citizens, one Australian permanent resident, and one New Zealand resident, all quarantined near Perth in Bullsbrook since their arrival on May 15 [1, 2, 3, 4].
The original quarantine was scheduled to end on June 5 but was extended following new cases detected among other cruise passengers. Two additional passengers from Spain and the Netherlands tested positive for the hantavirus, prompting health authorities to recommend a longer isolation period for the six Australia/New Zealand residents [3].
Australian Federal Health Minister Mark Butler confirmed the extension today, saying the six quarantined individuals remain in good health. "旅客已接獲關於這項建議與政府決定的通知。我很欣慰的說，他們目前的健康狀況依然良好," he told reporters [2]. He added that the passengers were retested within the last 24 to 36 hours and all tested negative for the virus once again [3].
The strain responsible for this outbreak is the rare Andes strain of hantavirus. It is known for its ability to transmit from person to person through close contact, unlike other hantavirus variants [3].
The six passengers have been confined at a facility near Perth since mid-May and will remain isolated for three more weeks until June 23 before release, pending final health assessments [1, 2, 3, 4]. The extended quarantine aims to account for the incubation period and reduce risk of further transmission after the new positive cases emerged.
Health authorities continue to monitor the situation and will reassess the passengers’ health before ending the quarantine period.
