An American passenger from the cruise ship MV Hondius, where a hantavirus outbreak was identified, has been placed in quarantine upon arriving at Pitcairn Islands, a tiny British territory in the Pacific Ocean.
According to local authorities, the decision was made after the woman traveled through French Polynesia.
Although asymptomatic, the passenger had boarded planes and a ship after disembarking from the Hondius on the island of Saint Helena, a spokesperson for the Pitcairn authorities said.
The vessel had departed on April 1 from Ushuaia in Argentina, making stops at several islands before arriving at Saint Helena between April 22 and 24.
During that stop, the body of a Dutch passenger was removed from the ship, while his wife disembarked and was hospitalized in South Africa, where she later died.
Authorities on Pitcairn said they are working closely with health officials and the British government to manage the situation, with public health protection as their top priority.
No details have been released regarding how the American woman’s isolation will be enforced on the island, which has a population of around 50 residents, or how long she will remain there.
Residents of Pitcairn told AFP they had been instructed not to speak with journalists and to direct all inquiries to government officials.
The Journey and the Quarantine
According to local authorities, the passenger had begun her trip from San Francisco bound for Tahiti before continuing to Mangareva in French Polynesia.
From there, most travelers reach Pitcairn after a 32-hour journey aboard a cargo vessel linking the remote island to the rest of the Pacific.
Authorities in French Polynesia stated that the woman had not disclosed her possible exposure to hantavirus.
The Pitcairn government said she would not be allowed to leave the island as long as she “represents a risk to others.”
The British government confirmed that the passenger is not showing symptoms but stressed that a “precautionary approach” would be followed to prevent any spread of the virus.
Pitcairn has only one grocery store, which opens three times a week, while the nearest hospitals are located in French Polynesia — more than 2,000 kilometers away — or in New Zealand, approximately 5,300 kilometers from the island.
The hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius has already been linked to three deaths, prompting several countries to take measures aimed at preventing further spread of the virus.
