Reports say several Australians exposed to hantavirus after a cruise ship incident are completing their journey home or elsewhere for medical care. The West Australian says an Australian traveller has reportedly returned home after being on board a ship exposed to the virus. It also reports that five Australians who were stranded on the cruise ship have completed the first stage of their long and difficult trip home.
Other outlets, including the Sydney Morning Herald, Brisbane Times, and The Age, cite a Spanish newspaper and say that a further passenger from the group of 23 who left the ship after the first death has since tested positive for hantavirus and is being treated in hospital in Switzerland. Together, the coverage indicates that some passengers are able to travel home while others remain under medical care, depending on test results and their location during evacuation and repatriation efforts. Details on the exact dates, the number of people who left versus returned, and the full clinical status of all individuals are not consistent across reports, but all accounts describe ongoing health monitoring and logistics after the first reported death on the ship.
