Foreign Secretary's statement: Hantavirus outbreak

6 May 2026 03:41 PM

A statement from the Foreign Secretary on the Hantavirus outbreak

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

The outbreak of Hantavirus is very serious and deeply stressful for those affected and their families. The UK response is being led by the UK Health Security Agency working with the WHO.

The Foreign Office is working urgently to support the UKHSA’s work overseas and to make sure British nationals on the MV Hondius can all get safely home with proper protection for public health.

Foreign Office consular staff are in direct contact with British nationals onboard the ship and stand ready to provide further assistance to any British national in need of support overseas 24/7 - our crisis response centre has been operating for the last few days to provide support. Ministers are in close touch with our Dutch and Spanish counterparts and we have been working with other countries to facilitate the medical evacuations, to support our Overseas Territories and to get British nationals home safely as quickly as possible.

Background Information:

• Overseas Territories we are supporting:

  • South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands
  • Tristan da Cunha
  • St Helena
  • Ascension Island
• British Nationals requiring consular assistance can contact the FCDO on +44 (0)20 7008 5000.
• The risk to the UK population is very low and there is no need for concern among the general public. Hantaviruses are very rarely transmitted from person to person.
• UK Health Security Agency has a page explaining what hantavirus is, how it is transmitted and the symptoms.