An airplane arrived this evening at Eindhoven Airbase, carrying passengers and part of the crew of the cruise ship where the Andes virus was detected. In the coming weeks, the group will be closely monitored to provide them with appropriate care should they need it.
Supported by the GGD
The people who need to be quarantined will be supported by the municipal health service (GGD). They will receive clear instructions and there will be daily telephone contact. The GGD wants to ensure that any symptoms are identified and appropriate care can be provided promptly.
Screening and care
All repatriated passengers will be thoroughly medically screened. A sample will be taken from everyone at the airport for laboratory testing. Individual test results will not be made public. Although the likelihood of the further spread of the virus is very low, transport is being strictly regulated as a precaution. The Dutch passengers will be transported in vans directly to their home addresses, where they will spend the quarantine period in self-isolation. A quarantine hotel has been arranged for the crew members and foreign passengers who cannot go home directly.
Home quarantine guidelines
The quarantine period is 42 days, which started on 6 May. That is when the patients infected with the Andes virus disembarked. During the quarantine period, passengers must stay at home. They are allowed to take short walks outside, keeping at least 1.5 meters distance from others and using a face mask. The daily contact focusses on the health of those concerned; should anyone get ill, quarantine will prevent the spread of the disease.
Asking people to quarantine at home is a proven method of preventing the spread. Previous experience shows that the collaboration with the GGD and the sense of responsibility of those involved in such outbreaks ensure good compliance with the measures.
Interhuman transmission of the Andes virus is very rare
The Andes virus is a hantavirus. Hantaviruses occur in rodents and can be transmitted to humans via the urine and faeces of these animals. The Andes virus occurs only in rodents in South America and therefore cannot spread via vermin in the Netherlands. In rare cases, the Andes virus can also be transmitted from person to person. This interhuman transmission can only happen if there is prolonged and close contact with an infected person. The risk of the virus spreading is much lower than it is with the coronavirus. Outbreaks of the Andes virus are rare worldwide and usually limited to very small groups of people who have had close contact with an infected patient.
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