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‘Difficult’ mission to repatriate Australian hantavirus cruise passengers en route to long Perth quarantine
TL;DR
Australians and New Zealanders from a hantavirus-hit cruise will quarantine for three weeks at a facility near Perth. They will first spend up to two days in the Netherlands before returning to Australia.
Key points
- Passengers will quarantine at Bullsbrook national resilience centre
- Flight crew must join the passengers for quarantine
- Passengers will spend two days in the Netherlands
- Australian ambassador greeted them in the Netherlands
Mentioned in this story
Bullsbrook national resilience centreMV HondiusMark ButlerGreg Fench
Australians and New Zealanders who were aboard the deadly hantavirus-hit cruise ship will undergo the first three weeks of their quarantine at the Bullsbrook national resilience centre, just outside Perth.
The flight crew that brings them back to the country will have to join them, Australia’s health minister, Mark Butler, said.
He confirmed a last-minute change of plan will see the six people who had been travelling aboard the MV Hondius spend up to two days in the Netherlands instead of returning direct from Tenerife.
They landed in the Netherlands on Tuesday morning, Australian time, on the first leg of a complex operation to repatriate them, Butler said. There they were greeted – at a safe distance – by Australian ambassador Greg Fench.
Bullsbrook national resilience centre. Photograph: Multiplex
They were taken to a quarantine hotel before a charter flight takes them to Australia later this week.
“This is a difficult arrangement to make,” Butler told ABC News on Tuesday morning.
“You’ve got to have crew that are willing to isolate at the end of the flight, you’ve got to have a flight that has some refuelling arrangements put in place between the Netherlands and Australia … And it’s important that we’ve put those quarantine arrangements in place, ready to go when they do land in Australia.”
The government nevertheless expected the four Australians, one permanent resident and one New Zealand citizen to be back in Australia by the end of the week. As of late Monday night, it was understood none of them were displaying symptoms of the virus.
“They’re only able to stay in the Netherlands for a maximum of 48 hours. So, over the next 24 to 48 hours, we expect them to start their flight back to Australia,” Butler said.
Medical personnel will be on board the flight, which is expected to land at RAAF Base Pearce in Perth, according to government advice.
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The travellers will then be transported to quarantine facilities at the Bullsbrook national resilience centre, about where they will isolate for the first three weeks of a 42-day quarantine period.
Flight crew will also quarantine at Bullsbrook.
Q&A
What is the quarantine plan for the hantavirus cruise passengers?
The passengers will undergo three weeks of quarantine at the Bullsbrook national resilience centre near Perth.
Why are the hantavirus cruise passengers stopping in the Netherlands?
They will spend up to two days in the Netherlands due to a last-minute change in their repatriation plan.
Who is responsible for the repatriation of the hantavirus cruise passengers?
Australia's health minister, Mark Butler, confirmed the details of the repatriation operation.
Where is the Bullsbrook national resilience centre located?
The Bullsbrook national resilience centre is located just outside Perth, Australia.
