Australians from hantavirus cruise ship to fly out of Netherlands in full PPE after plane and crew secured

Four Australian citizens who were aboard the MV Hondius, the cruise ship at the centre of the hantavirus outbreak, will soon be home after the government secured a suitable aircraft and crew for the journey. The health minister, Mark Butler, said the citizens, along with a permanent resident and a New Zealand citizen, were due to take off from the Netherlands on Thursday evening local time and would land in Perth on Friday afternoon. “Six passengers are still in good health, they have all tested negative for hantavirus and are showing no symptoms as well,” Butler said. “Passengers and crew members will travel this flight for its duration in full PPE. There are very strict conditions about the flight, the landing, and the quarantine arrangements.” Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email The passengers will be subject to a quarantine order , remaining at Western Australia’s Bullsbrook quarantine facility for at least three weeks . The flight crew bringing them home will also be required to quarantine, either in Australia or in another country. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade had scrambled to find an aircraft and crew who were able to complete quarantine, after a 48-hour deadline was imposed on their international transfer through the Netherlands by Dutch authorities. The outbreak now includes 11 reported cases, with nine officially confirmed. Three people have died. …