The British military has delivered medical personnel and oxygen to Tristan da Cunha, an island in the southern Atlantic Ocean, for a local resident who developed symptoms of hantavirus after returning from a cruise. A Royal Air Force A400M transport aircraft was used for the mission.
It was reported by the BBC.
The islander returned from the cruise ship MV Hondius on April 14. Two weeks later, he developed diarrhea and a fever.
How the British military conducted the operation on the island?
Six paratroopers and two medical personnel from the British Army’s 16th Air Assault Brigade were deployed for the operation. They were airdropped from the aircraft over the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 5 kilometers from the island.
According to Brigade Commander Ed Cartwright, the troops performed a “really challenging, technical jump” during the landing due to strong winds and the island’s small size. He noted that a single mistake could have sent the paratroopers into the ocean.
After the jump, the soldiers drifted with the wind toward the island and landed on a golf course. Along with the medical team, a cargo of oxygen and humanitarian aid was also dropped on Tristan da Cunha, as the island’s oxygen supplies were at a critical level.
The UK Ministry of Defense stated that this is the first time British troops have parachuted medical personnel onto an island for a humanitarian mission.
What is known about hantavirus?
Hantavirus infection is a group of viral diseases transmitted to humans primarily by rodents. Mice and rats can carry the virus, and infection usually occurs through contact with their secretions or by inhaling dust particles containing the virus.
The initial symptoms of hantavirus infection often resemble the flu. Patients may experience fever, headache, weakness, muscle pain, nausea, and diarrhea. In severe cases, the disease can affect the lungs or kidneys.
What is known about the hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius?
As a reminder, an outbreak of hantavirus occurred on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean, resulting in fatalities. Initially, the ship was denied permission to dock while nearly 150 people were still on board.
Spain has now agreed to accept the cruise ship MV Hondius, where the hantavirus outbreak was detected. The ship is heading to the Canary Islands. There were five Ukrainians on board the MV Hondius when the hantavirus outbreak occurred. One of them has already been evacuated, and the remaining five, who are part of the crew, will help guide the ship to a port in the Netherlands.
Medical officials say that dozens of cases of hantavirus infection are reported in Ukraine every year.
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