By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora
MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) said Friday the 38 Filipinos from the hantavirus-stricken MV Hondius currently undergoing quarantine in the Netherlands are all in good condition, and none has been found infected.
Speaking at a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon interview, DOH Undersecretary Albert Domingo said Health Secretary Ted Herbosa received the updates from no less than the Netherlands Health Minister Sophie Hermans on the sidelines of the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, this month.
“Ni isa sa mga 38 ay (hindi) dinapuan, awa ng Diyos at tumatakbo lamang hanggang middle of June iyong quarantine nila (None of the 38 were infected, thank God, and their quarantine will only be until mid-June),” he said.
“Dahil sa kooperasyon sa World Health Organization at saka sa Netherlands at iba pang bansa ay naiiwasan natin na maapektuhan ang ating mga kababayan (Because of our cooperation with the World Health Organization, the Netherlands, and other countries, we are able to ensure our nationals are not affected by such cases).”
Domingo said some of the crew members might continue with their employment once they complete their quarantine, while others are expected to request repatriation.
The 38 arrived in the Netherlands in the middle of May to undergo a required six-week quarantine.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on May 28 that at least three additional confirmed cases of hantavirus were recorded in Canada, the Netherlands, and Spain following the outbreak linked to the MV Hondius.
To date, there are 13 confirmed cases of hantavirus infection from the ship, including three deaths.
Hantavirus, according to the WHO, “are zoonotic viruses that naturally infect rodents and are occasionally transmitted to humans.”
it said infection in people can result in severe illness and often death, although the diseases vary by type of virus and geographical location.
The latest outbreak, which occurred in April among passengers of the Dutch expedition cruise ship MV Hondius, was traced to the Andes hantavirus, a strain capable of human-to-human transmission.
The WHO said the risk posed by the outbreak to the global population is currently “low,” but it will continue to monitor the situation. (PNA)
