British Columbia’s top doctor says the four passengers returning home from the hantavirus-hit cruise ship remain in a “critical period,” but stressed she would not call them “patients” as they are not considered infected.
Henry told reporters they will be monitoring the four passengers, ensuring they are cared for during the minimum isolation period of 21 days.
“We know as well the incubation period of this strain of the virus can be as long as six weeks, so we’re at actually a critical period,” she said. “We know the median incubation period is about 15 to 18 days, so we’re still in a period of time when we may see more cases arise.”
She added the four people had exposure to the virus but have shown no symptoms.
“So we treat them as contacts, we are hoping that none of them are infected and that none of them will develop disease,” she said. “But the incubation period, so the period between the time you were exposed and the time you might develop the disease is as long as six weeks, so we have to wait out that six weeks to make sure that nobody was infected.”
The four individuals were aboard the MV Hondius when the outbreak began, with eight cases and three deaths reported of the hantavirus.
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The ship docked in Tenerife, Spain, on Sunday morning, and the four B.C. residents wore protective gear as they climbed the stairs of a plane bound for the Saguenay-Bagotville Airport, roughly two hours outside of Quebec City.
Global Affairs Canada says they will change planes for a flight to the West Coast. Officials declined to identify their destination in B.C.
There, Henry said the four Canadians would go through a health assessment by local public health officials before being transported directly to individual lodgings for them to isolate.
“At no point do we expect them to be in contact with the public during this arrival process or during their isolation period,” Henry said.
Oceanwide Expeditions, the ship’s owner, said there were four Canadians among the roughly 130 asymptomatic passengers.
The company says representatives from a number of groups, including the World Health Organization, screened passengers at the port.
According to Henry, the 21-day isolation period goes back to the last potential contact with somebody who had the virus, which is believed to be May 6.
Once this period ends, local public health officials will reassess the situation based and could extend the self-isolation period to a maximum of 42 days total since last potential exposure.
If any of the four individuals develop symptoms, Henry said there are detailed plans in place to be able to safely do assessments and testing.
She added, if necessary, the province has a specialized biocontainment unit treatment centre at Surrey Memorial Hospital that has been used in the past.
“I know they (the passengers) are undoubtedly looking forward to being back home in Canada where they can get the care and monitoring they need,” Henry said.
The Canadian Armed Forces is assisting Global Affairs Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada in repatriating the four Canadians, however, their assistance is limited to facilitating the transfer of the four people on a chartered return flight and their transfer from PHAC to provincial health authorities in B.C.
The virus originates in rodents, and the version on the cruise ship – the Andes virus – is the only one known to spread from human to human, though it’s not very contagious.
It’s why Henry stressed she recognized people’s concerns following the COVID-19 pandemic because it cannot transmit in the same way.
“It causes infections that are more deep in the lungs, it can cause the kidneys to fail and a number of other symptoms and it’s not spread as easily through coughing,” Henry said. “You have to have as we’ve found out from the people who’ve been dealing with this virus, and with all the hantoviruses, having very close contact with somebody who’s infected. Even that it’s still very rare that it’s transmitted from person to person.”
things people dont care about
fake aliens,fake hanta,fake mous. the gov ability to scare people is done. gooo carney
Funny how the only ones really commenting, are the antivaxxer, uneducated people, who don’t believe in vaccines……there is no vaccines for this illness and not a pandemic at all…..looks like none of you actually watched the article……and as for Dr. Bonnie Henry, she is still there for a reason….unlike all of you internet medical non-professionals
Hey Duke are you typing with your mask on? Did you take your TDS medication today?
Sure they will isolate. ‘Those are just fluffy words for the public to feel like they are doing something.
Who enforces anything, anymore?
Send them and the whole boat load to the US…Florida to be exact. Trump’s US doesn’t believe in harmless virus. Right?
Lots of Tory lies and antivax wingnut panic going on here, lol.
The US is taking all of the passengers from that ship to a facility and they will be isolating for 42 days. Why aren’t we doing that? Are we that stupid?
They may be asymptomatic but they were exposed so they better not be travelling with anyone else on the plane home. You will expose them too.
Bonnie Henry lost a lot of credibility over her handling of Covid so why should we believe her now. For something that is not very contagious they are spending a lot of money bringing these people home to Canada and keeping them isolated.
You repatriate them so that they can get care and self isolate at home. The ship has inadequate resources and staff to care for them.
This has nothing to do with Bill Gates. It is a real crisis, but one that is being well handled by local health officials, Spanish health officials, the WHO and the public health authorities of the foreign nationals home countries. This is how it is suppose to work. The problem is contained.
Why isn’t she in prison?
Another fake pandemic, don’t worry Bill Gates getting your vaccines ready.
WHY would you allow them to leave the boat!! Let them ALL isolate in their cabins for a total maximum days! When they are all healthy.. Then and only then can then leave, why put us through Covid all over again!!
Mark Carney the Pied Piper attracting all the rats and their aids infected feces
Please not Bonnie henry again
Doesn’t matter how careful we are here. We’re only as safe as the poorest third world country all these new Canadians flock back and forth to multiple times a year.
Hantalockdown coming.
Vaccines coming.
I will never take advice from Bonnie Henry. in my eyes not credible in the least
These people seem to be getting flown everywhere around Canada, Hantavirus Super Spreaders? Thanks Billy.
Sad but should not be able to come into the country
The word doctor and Bonnie Henry don’t belong in the same sentence.
Should have left the boat at sea ! Take the cruise to see the world from the deck. Supply with drones medical personnel on board . After 20 days of no new cases let them dock .
Well if the WHO says there’s nothing to worry about, think COVID. The elbozos are probably dusting off their face masks