A Canadian man who survived hantavirus has described the experience as 'hell on earth,' recalling the 'torture' of spending three weeks in hospital battling the deadly disease. Lorne Warburton was placed on life support after contracting the virus in 2023. He told the BBC that initial symptoms were reminiscent of those commonly reported by Covid-19 patients, including fatigue, headaches, and body aches. However, his condition rapidly deteriorated, leaving him 'drenched in sweat' and struggling to breathe.
Warburton's story emerges as three British nationals have been confirmed to have contracted hantavirus following an outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed on Friday that another British passenger exhibited symptoms while on Tristan da Cunha in the St Helena archipelago. Two additional suspected cases are being treated in hospital, while two British passengers are self-isolating in the UK after leaving the vessel.
Outbreak Details and Response
A total of seven British nationals were among the 29 passengers who left the MV Hondius when it docked in St Helena on April 24. A Dutch woman died after contracting the virus. The ship is expected to dock in Tenerife on Sunday. A UKHSA spokesperson stated that officials will be present to assist British nationals, providing a dedicated repatriation flight. 'UK government staff will be on the ground ready to support the British nationals disembarking,' the agency said. 'British passengers and ship crew not displaying any symptoms of hantavirus will be escorted by UK Government staff to an airport and given free passage back to the UK.'
The agency added that public health and infectious disease specialists from UKHSA and the NHS will monitor British nationals during the flight to ensure preventative measures are in place and to provide care if any passengers become unwell. Experts believe the incubation period for the virus can be up to six weeks, but the World Health Organization does not anticipate the outbreak becoming an epidemic.
Expert Commentary
Professor Sir Peter Horby, director of pandemic sciences at Oxford University, said: 'Of course, we need to investigate and carefully monitor the situation to spot any divergence from how we expect this virus to behave, but so far the virus is behaving in a way we know it can. We know there can be limited person-to-person transmission following close and prolonged contact with an infected person, but that public health measures can readily stop transmission and bring the outbreak to an end.'
