Six passengers from a cruise ship struck down by the hantavirus have touched down in Perth after the government secured a plane to fly them back from the Netherlands on Thursday night.
The flight arrived at RAAF Pearce just after 11am WA time on Friday, with the four Australians, one permanent resident, and one New Zealander to be whisked to the Bullsbrook Centre for National Resilience, where they will quarantine for three weeks.
They are set to be transported to the centre, which is about a 15-minute drive from the air base, under strict health protocols.
On Thursday, Health Minister Mark Butler said the passengers were in good health and had all tested negative for the deadly virus, and were showing no symptoms.
Butler said critical care staff had been deployed from Darwin to the centre ready to receive the passengers tomorrow.
“These are expert staff, well experienced in infectious disease emergencies,” he said.
“This is one of the strongest quarantine arrangements in response to this hantavirus outbreak.”
The passengers and flight crew would travel in full PPE, Butler said, and their three-week quarantine would be reviewed before they were released because of the hantavirus’ 42-day incubation period.
More to come.
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