German woman on hantavirus-hit ship to be tested at German hospital
Details of the Hantavirus Incident and Medical Response
Background of the Incident
May 6 (Reuters) - A German national who was onboard a luxury cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus will be brought to a hospital in the German city of Duesseldorf for testing, a hospital spokesperson said on Wednesday, adding that the person showed no symptoms.
Patient Transport and Medical Procedures
Transportation Arrangements
The person, who had contact with an infected person, will be transported from a Dutch airport to Duesseldorf by a high-risk patient transport unit from the city's fire brigade, said the spokesperson in a statement.
Testing and Examinations
Preliminary medical and infectious examinations will take place in the infectious disease ward, and further virological laboratory tests are also planned, said the spokesperson.
Post-Testing Plans
The person should be transferred to her home in Germany shortly thereafter, it added.
Additional Information on the Outbreak
Contact with Deceased Passenger
According to Bild newspaper, which first reported on the transport plans, the female passenger had had contact with another German woman who died on board the ship.
Other Affected Passengers
Planned Transfers
A planned transfer of three passengers from the cruise ship to specialized aircraft was scheduled to take place on Wednesday morning, Cape Verde time, ship operator Oceanwide Expeditions said earlier.
Casualties and Evacuations
A Dutch couple have also died since the outbreak manifested in early April, while a British national was evacuated from the ship and is in intensive care in South Africa.
(Reporting by Louisa Off and Petra Wischgoll, Writing by Linda Pasquini, Editing by Miranda Murray and Madeline Chambers)
