The Ministry of Health is reassuring the public that a hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship "is not another Covid", as a New Zealander awaits evacuation from the stricken vessel.
The MV Hondius arrived in Tenerife, the largest of Spain’s Canary Islands, on Sunday with 88 passengers and 59 crew onboard.
The cruise ship was sailing from Argentina to Cape Verde, off the coast of West Africa, when the rare outbreak developed over a period of weeks.
While most passengers had since flown home under varying isolation rules, the New Zealander wasn't due to depart until 4am tomorrow, when they would join Australian nationals on a flight bound for Perth.
The death toll remained at three. However, at least one new case had since emerged after a French cruise ship passenger began developing symptoms enroute to Paris.
Ministry of Health director of public health, Dr Corina Grey, today told 1News the agency had been in contact with the New Zealander as well as international government agencies around repatriation arrangements.
"It is a fluid situation and, obviously, there are privacy considerations for the individual, but we have the necessary public health tools in place should the person arrive in New Zealand," Grey said.
After arriving in the country, the individual would be assessed by public health officials – in line with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, released over the weekend.
"There will be a whole process to support that person, and it may involve a period of quarantine," she said.
The WHO recommended 42 days of quarantine for high-risk contacts. However, Grey said the quarantine period would depend on the Health Ministry’s public health risk assessment.
A second New Zealander who disembarked the cruise ship before the deadly outbreak was detected had also been in contact with the Ministry of Health.
Grey confirmed the second individual had not returned here.
"We have supported our international partners, and we have public health measures in place should they come to New Zealand," she said.
"But, to our knowledge, there is nobody from the ship who has been exposed to hantavirus in the country."
Grey said it was "completely understandable that people are worried, that they're anxious" in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Let me reassure the New Zealand public – this is not another Covid."
There were between 10,000 and 100,000 hantavirus infections per year, she said. Hantavirus infections were typically linked to exposure to the faeces, saliva or urine of infected rodents but Grey said the cruise ship outbreak was "unusual" as it was transmitted from human to human through "very close and prolonged exposure".
"Again, the WHO and our public health services are stressing that the risk to the New Zealand public is low."
At a post-Cabinet press conference this afternoon, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the Government was "in constant contact with the individual" who had left the cruise ship.
"We've been in regular contact, and we've got consular support in place there," he said.
"Rest assured, we're over it, and we are engaging with the individual as well."
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