Latest update
-- The UK Health Security Agency is paying thanks to everyone who has isolated at Arrowe Park since Sunday evening and to all the staff at the facility and within the wider system for supporting them, commending them for their ‘incredible effort’.
-- Today, 6 individuals from Arrowe Park are returning home or to other suitable accommodation to complete their 45 day isolation period.
-- Public health and clinical specialists have assessed each individual’s circumstances and following their latest negative PCR test, tailored support packages are being provided to enable people to isolate at home.
-- Arrangements for onward travel from Arrowe Park will be managed with appropriate public health protections in place at every stage of the journey.
-- All contacts who remain at Arrowe Park remain asymptomatic; they have no symptoms.
-- All testing of contacts has been negative for Hantavirus.
-- Health protection teams across the UK will continue to monitor and support everyone after they leave the facility, with daily contact throughout the isolation period to ensure appropriate health and wellbeing support.
-- Contact tracing, regular monitoring and testing of contacts continues by UKHSA specialist teams.
-- Over the coming days, UKHSA will also support relocation of some more contacts who are already isolating, to places where they can do so more easily.
-- Medical staff monitoring contacts on Ascension and St Helena have confirmed that one contact, a medic on Ascension island, has developed symptoms.
-- Their samples were taken to the UK on 8 May and tested negative.
-- Testing is underway to establish whether this is an unrelated illness, with the individual being offered all necessary care.
-- We continue to work closely with the FCDO to provide support to the islands of the territories.
-- UKHSA continues to work closely with public health teams in devolved administrations and UK Overseas Territories to identify and support those who may have had close contact with cases.
-- The risk to the general public remains very low.
-- Professor Robin May, Chief Scientific Officer at UKHSA, said:
''Our teams are working closely with FCDO colleagues and leaders on Ascension island to repatriate British nationals who are currently isolating on the island. Testing is underway to confirm the cause of illness for the person displaying symptoms and we will take all necessary action to support this person and the wider island population whilst continuing to protect public health in England and UK overseas territories.
''Once again I must commend those who have cooperated so selflessly with the isolation arrangements at Arrowe Park, and we are pleased that they will now begin to return home to isolate after a very unsettling period for all involved. Thanks also to the NHS and UKHSA colleagues caring for them throughout their time there.
''Together this has been an incredible demonstration of international efforts to contain the outbreak. Our priority remains to ensure everyone is safe and well supported, wherever they complete their isolation, and our teams will continue to work closely with all of those affected by this outbreak.
''We would ask the media and the public to respect the privacy of the passengers, contacts and their families at what has been a very difficult and distressing time for everyone involved.
Source:
Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ukhsa-update-on-the-hantavirus-cruise-ship-outbreak
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